WRU stops short of ban on players joining R360

Other nations say stars in rebel league won't feature internationally

- By BEN JAMES

Morgan is reported to have been targeted by R360 organisers

THE Welsh Rugby Union have stopped short of joining other national unions in stating that signing for rebel league R360 would make players ineligible to feature for their national teams.

A joint statement from the governing bodies of New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, Ireland, England, Scotland, France and Italy confirmed that players would be warned that men and women players who participated in the new league, which is aiming to launch in October 2026, would be “ineligible for international selection.”

Having not agreed on that, the WRU’s statement simply stated that they “reserve the right not to select men’s and women’s players for international duty if they participate in this competition.”

The softened stance comes as the WRU complete a consultation process into the number of professional teams in Wales.

The vast majority of players are understood to be against the WRU’s proposed two-club model, with a very high percentage of Welsh players having said they would likely look for opportunities elsewhere if the number of clubs was reduced to two.

A number of high-profile Welsh players are understood to have already been targeted by R360, who claim they have already agreed deals with nearly 200 male players.