Proposed R360 series delays launch until 2028

R360, the proposed global rugby series targetting the game's top stars, has pushed back its launch date two years to 2028, raising doubts over the project's viability.

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R360 board member and former England centre Mike Tindall

“The decision to shift our launch to 2028 is a strategic decision based ‘on timing,” said R360 board member and former England centre Mike Tindall.

“Launching under compressed timelines would not meet the standards we set for R360, nor would it deliver the long-term commercial impact that the sport deserves.”

Eight leading Test nations, along with the British and Irish Lions, have banned any R360 recruits from combining the new venture with their international careers.

Australian rugby league’s NRL has ‘threatened any player who switches to R360 with a 10-year ban from its competition. Any player who had signed up for the proposed launch in 2026 will now have their contracts terminated.

In an email to players, seen by the BBC, R360 co-founder Stuart Hooper said he appreciated the news would come as a “shock to some, and disappointing for all”, but reiterated the desire for a launch in 2028 and for R360 to become an established part of the rugby calendar.