The reasons why WRU have taken a cautious stance over the R360

> Given the current uncertainty in Wales, the WRU cannot afford to take a stance that could result in our star players like Jac Morgan looking to fly the nest

- STEFFAN THOMAS

Rugby's proposed rebel competition, R360, suffered a major blow this week as the majority of leading rugby nations united in opposition.

Five of the SIX Nations teams, along with New Zealand, South Africa and Australia, announced a blanket ban on any R360 contracted player remaining eligible for international rugby.

This is a blow to players who were either considering or had agreed to join R360 because the competition organisers had promised the competition would not affect their international ambitions.

The statement created headlines across the globe, but there was one country particularly conspicuous by its absence in the joint stance namely, Wales, who are often aligned with the other home nations as a Six Nations stakeholder.

"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 read.

"Each of the national unions will be advising men's and women's players that participation in R360 would make them ineligible for international selection.

"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.

"R360 has given us no indication as to how it plans to manage player welfare, how players would fulfil their aspirations of representing their countries, and how the competition would coexist with the international and domestic calendars so painstakingly negotiated in recent years for both our men's and women's games.

"These are all issues that would have been much better discussed collaboratively, but those behind the proposed competition have not engaged with or met all unions to explain and better understand their business and operating model.