R360 RUGBY PLAYERS NOT ELIGIBLE TO PLAY FOR NATIONAL SIDES

Although rebel competitions in other sports like golf might have been successful, it looks as if the world of rugby won’t be so forgiving.

Although not much is known about the competition, R360 has some pretty heavy backing from private investors. Mike Tindall, former England centre and World Cup winner, is the face of the competition shrouded in secrecy.

So far, eight of the leading rugby nations have made it clear that any player who chooses to join the R360 tournament won’t be allowed to represent their countries.

In a joint statement released by the national unions of Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Ireland, England, Scotland, France and Italy, it said that players who join the R360 competition wouldn’t be eligible for to play for their national teams.

“As a group of national rugby unions, we are urging extreme caution for players and support staff considering joining the proposed R360 competition,” the statement said.

“We all welcome new investment and innovation in rugby; and support ideas that can help the game evolve and reach new audiences, but any new competition must strengthen the sport as a whole, not fragment or weaken it.”

The unions said the competition hasn’t made it clear how it plans to look after the welfare of the players or where it would fit into the already very busy calendar.

“The R360 model, as outlined publicly, rather appears designed to generate profits and return them to a very small elite, potentially hollowing out the investment that national unions and existing leagues make in community rugby, player development, and participation pathways,” the unions said, adding this project “could be enormously harmful to the health of our sport”.

Image credit: Planet Rugby