- 10 NRL players believed to be committed to rebel competition
The NRL’s grand final week has had the gloss taken off with reports that rebel rugby union competition R360 is chasing the signatures of several top stars after being given the green light to kick off next year.
Rugby legend Mike Tindall, who is married to Princess Anne’s daughter Zara Tindall, has told players that three years’ worth of funding has been secured in order to kick off the R360 rebel league in 2026.
The pre-contract conditions stated funding must be readied by September 30 and organisers contacted 200 players on the morning of the deadline to confirm the finances are in place.
England World Cup winner Tindall, one of R360’s key bosses, sent the message via an emailed video attachment, revealing that ‘a truly exciting global roster of male and female players has now been secured’.
As many as 10 players from the NRL are rumoured to have committed to the rebel competition including Melbourne superstar Ryan Papenhuyzen, Parramatta winger Zac Lomax and Souths fullback Jye Gray, News Corp reports.
The news couldn’t come at a worse time for the NRL as the league prepares to celebrate its players at the Dally M medal ceremony on Wednesday night ahead of the grand final on Sunday.
Ten players from the NRL are rumoured to have committed to the rebel R360 competition, including Melbourne superstar Ryan Papenhuyzen (pictured)
English rugby legend turned royal family member Mike Tindall is one of the founders of the controversial breakaway competition
R360 has significant backing and is offering huge contracts to players to switch codes.
The Melbourne Storm are reportedly expecting Papenhuyzen to make the switch once his contract finishes next year.
Lomax’s situation is more tricky given he’s under contract with the Eels until the end of 2028.
However, it’s understood that he’s already told Parramatta of his desire to make the big-money move, and Eels coach Jason Ryles hasn’t ruled out giving him a release.
Warriors winger Roger Tuivasa-Sheck has reportedly committed to the breakaway competition, as he finishes his contract at the end of next year.
Brisbane prop Payne Haas has also been linked with R360. The superstar comes off contract with the Broncos at the end of next season.
It’s not just the NRL that will be impacted by the news, with Rugby Australia preparing to blacklist potential Wallabies if they join the breakaway competition.
Anonymous sources with knowledge of the situation told the Sydney Morning Herald that RA have indicated they will not pick players for Tests if they make the switch.
Parramatta winger Zac Lomax (pictured front while playing for NSW) is reported to have committed to the rebel competition
South Sydney fullback Jye Gray is also believed to have been offered a big contract
It is understood R360 players could earn upwards of $2million per season, with the competition promising greater priority for player welfare through a lighter but more global fixture schedule.
Australian Rugby League chairman Peter V’landys recently rubbished R360 as a threat to the NRL.
‘Anything that doesn’t have a business model or a financier or a backer, you can’t take seriously,’ V’landys said.
‘If someone shows me a business plan, how they’re going to pay for this and how they’re going to pay for the players, how they’re going to promote it.
‘I mean, I saw that they were looking at YouTube. YouTube’s a great channel, but it’s certainly not going to generate the revenues that they would provide.’
A spokesperson for R360 told Daily Mail Sport: ‘We’re truly excited to launch our global league next year, which has been designed to showcase the best rugby players in the world, capture the imagination of fans and grow our sport in the years ahead.’
