R360 Competition Players Hit With 10-Year Ban from NRL
The rugby star earned 20 international appearances for the All Blacks before transferring allegiance to the Samoan team.
The NRL's authority has declared that players who join the “breakaway” R360 league will be banned for a decade.
R360, set to start in October 2026, is seeking to lure players from union and league with substantial agreements and a reduced playing schedule.
Leading rugby league players have reportedly been approached by the breakaway group, which will include multiple men's clubs and four women's sides based in large metropolitan areas around the world.
The Samoan the rugby star, who plays for his NRL club in the league, has stated he has had talks with R360.
Ryan Papenhuyzen, Lomax, Haas and Jye Gray are also said to be thinking about signing R360.
Several leading union countries, including Australia, recently declared a ban on players joining R360 appearing in international matches.
“We heard our franchises and we've taken firm action,” stated the league's head Peter V'Landys.
“Regrettably, there will continually be groups that attempt to hijack our sport for monetary profit.
“They avoid funding in talent pipelines or the development of athletes. They only leverage the efforts of others, endangering athletes of financial loss while gaining personally.
“Essentially, they are, counterfeiting a code.”
The league is launched by retired international Tindall and funded by commercial backers.
Subsequent to the prospective rugby union prohibitions were declared last week, it said: “We aim to collaborate in partnership as a component of the worldwide fixture list.
“The series is arranged with bespoke schedules for men's and women's teams and R360 will allow all athletes for international matches, as written into their contracts.”
The new league will request authorization for its initiatives from World Rugby, rugby union's governing body, at its official gathering next year.
