Rumours of a big-money, breakaway rugby union league called R360 stealing some of rugby league’s best talent has the game on red alert.
So what is this new initiative threatening to shake up the sporting landscape?
Here’s what you need to know about Rugby360!
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WHAT IS Rugby360?
Rugby360 is a breakaway rugby union league led by Mike Tindall and investors aiming to awaken the sport of rugby union from its current slumber.
Rugby360 is a concept designed to make the sport commercialised for modern audiences and media networks, according to Insider Sport.
Drawing on the financial ambition and disruption pioneered by the Indian Premier League (IPL) and LIV Golf, R360 proposes a radical shift in how rugby is structured and sold.
The league has attracted interest from potential backers across the Premier League, Formula One and the NFL, with multiple bids for franchise slots already under consideration.
R360 promises a fresh format built for digital platforms and global broadcasters, with fast-paced matches, city festivals, and fan-first experiences.
R360 draws heavily on the IPL and NFL: city-based franchises, no relegation, cost caps for parity, and a short, dynamic calendar.
Its long-term vision includes a women’s league, an initial centralised operation, and expansion to eight franchises by its third year.
The league also commits to mental health support, family travel provisions, and opportunities for players to build personal brands globally.
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WHO IS INVOLVED?
R360 is led by Mike Tindall (MBE), a former Rugby World Cup winner and Royal Family member and investors, some of which are reportedly from the cashed-up Saudi Arabia.
Tindall is joined by Bath Rugby executives Stuart Hooper and John Loffhagen – the ex-legal counsellor of the LIV Golf Tour – as the architects of “R360”, and its mission to drive a generational change to Rugby Union.
WHAT PLAYERS WILL BE TARGETED AND HOW MUCH WILL THEY EARN?
At the heart of R360’s offer is a commercial leap forward.
Dozens of elite players have signed heads of agreement, with the world’s top 40 stars set to earn more than £1m (A$2.1m) per season — a level of remuneration currently matched by fewer than five rugby players globally.
Tindall argues this is the minimum required for rugby to retain and reward its best talent on a global stage.
“Rugby is feeling the fallout of the last few years,” Tindall said on the R360 investor brochure.
“Financial mismanagement, declining investment in the club game, and a product that is struggling to evolve, clubs around the world are being propped up by the international game.
“Rugby’s lack of innovation and ability to change risks losing its appeal to new audiences and its younger market.
“We need to give the sport its Super Bowl moment.”
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NRL PLAYERS AND R360
The NRL has been earmarked as a potential gold mine for R360 recruits.
Already players such as Warriors star Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, Knights skipper Kalyn Ponga and Storm fullback Ryan Papenhuyzen have been linked to R360 deals.
With the potential to be one of the biggest earners in either code in the world, no doubt more NRL players will sit up and take notice when the first domino falls and a player officially and publicly signs on the dotted line.
The NRL season is long and physically taxing running from February until October with international players sometimes playing Test matches as late as the end of November, with Origin also played in the middle of the year.
The chance to play less games in R360 and get paid more in a less physically demanding sport would appeal to some players, who risk career ending injuries every time they step on a rugby league field.
WHERE WILL R360 BE HELD?
R360 has bold plans to form a global league with a “Grand Prix” model of 12 franchises visiting 16 international venues, including the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Nou Camp and MorumBIS in São Paulo.
WHEN WILL IT FIT IN THE CALENDAR?
The R360 format complies with Regulation 9 by keeping windows clear for international duties, running April to June and August to September.
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WHY R360 IS NEEDED?
The contrast in fortunes between rugby nations is stark. While France and Ireland have sustained growth through aligned systems and deep-rooted club success, England and Wales have struggled.
The collapse of clubs like Wasps and Worcester RC, and tightening salary caps have undermined domestic confidence.
Meanwhile, Premiership Rugby has faced ongoing broadcast challenges, with reduced visibility and limited commercial leverage under its current deal with TNT Sports (formerly BT Sport). Rumours of declining viewer engagement and diminished value in the next cycle only compound concerns.
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WHAT THE CRITICS SAY ABOUT R360?
Critics argue rugby’s salvation lies in structural reform, not breakaway leagues. Yet the scale of player support and cross-sport investor interest suggests R360 may succeed where past initiatives failed.
Tindall and his team make no apologies for ambition. As one source put it bluntly: “This is no longer just a concept. It’s capitalised. It’s happening. And it’s going to change the game.”
Still, scepticism remains of the League’s goals. Whilst R360 insiders insist the league is “capitalised and happening”, it must still receive backing from a national union and be ratified by World Rugby – a conflict that is likely to be reckoned with.
However, despite the interest there are doubts the breakaway competition can become a viable success, according to Andrew Georgiou the president and managing director of WBD Sports Europe.
“I’ve been involved in sport for 25 years,” Georgiou told The Guardian.
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“I can’t tell you how many of these PowerPoint presentations have come across my desk with people who were absolutely certain that what they had on that page was going to be the new thing.
“The one question is, how are they going to grow the revenue by putting this event on?
“Where’s the money coming from? The media industry is going through a massive generational change.
“So if these folks believe that they are going to grow the revenue by putting this thing on, I think they’re delusional. I really do.
“What it will do is further complicate what is already a well-functioning rugby ecosystem.”
