Rugby union's proposed breakaway R360 league – the subject of much criticism amongst the sport's stakeholders – has now pushed back its intended launch date until 2028.
This represents a two-year postponement, with the property's organizers having originally planned on getting the series underway as early as late 2026, with an initial event containing up to eight men's and four women's teams.
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However, sanctioning from the World Rugby governing body has not yet arrived, and cannot now come before June next year, which would have been only a few months before that inaugural event.
Mike Tindall, the former England star now fronting the R360 project (and a member of its board), has said the postponement is "a strategic decision based on timing," and that "launching under compressed timelines [in 2026] would not meet the standards we set for R360, nor would it deliver the long-term commercial impact that the sport deserves."
He has also stated that "we remain absolutely determined to bring R360 to life at full scale and with maximum global impact. We’re building something bold and new that will resonate globally."
The BBC claims to have seen an email to players, from R360 co-founder Stuart Hooper, saying he understands the postponement will come as a "shock to some, and disappointing for all."
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By GlobalDataThis decision comes with eight of the top test rugby nations – alongside the iconic British and Irish Lions touring organization – having banned any future R360 players from representing their countries while a part of the new rebel venture, as of mid-October
The Australian NRL competition, meanwhile, has threatened any of its players who sign up to R360 with a ban of up to 10 years.
The delay does mean that R360 will avoid launching during the build-up to the 2027 Rugby World Cup, as well as to a historic inaugural women's Lions tour (of New Zealand).
R360 currently claims to have in the region of 200 players contracted provisionally, despite a host of international stars having publicly rebuffed approaches from the series.
In early October, the unions of England, Ireland, France, Scotland, Italy, New Zealand, South Africa, and Australia released a joint statement warning potential participants of the consequences of signing up to R360, which the nations believe is being set up to profit the “very small elite,” rather than the game in general.
The group said: “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.
“The R360 model, as outlined publicly, rather appears designed to generate profits and return them to a very small elite, potentially hollowing out the investment that national unions and existing leagues make in community rugby, player development, and participation pathways."
R360 has been compared to Saudi-backed LIV Golf, which used lucrative contracts to tempt top players from the established PGA Tour and DP World Tour.
Reports have suggested the league will be run similarly to motor racing’s Formula 1, with weekend events moving around the globe.
The International Rugby Players Association, the umbrella group connecting the player unions in the UK, France, Australia, New Zealand, and elsewhere, has also urged players to proceed with caution over signing up for the league.
