National Unions Warn Against Participation in R360 Competition

National Rugby Unions Issue Caution on New R360 Competition

A collective statement has been issued by the national rugby unions of New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, Ireland, England, Scotland, France, and Italy urging players and support staff to exercise extreme caution regarding the proposed R360 competition.

The unions emphasized the importance of new investments and innovations in rugby, supporting ideas that can advance the sport and engage new audiences. However, they stressed that any new competition must enhance the sport rather than divide or weaken it.

The unions stated, “As national unions, we must evaluate new propositions comprehensively, considering their impact on areas such as rugby’s global ecosystem, for which we all share responsibility, and whether these ideas contribute positively or detrimentally to the game.”

Concerns were raised regarding the R360 competition's management of player welfare, the implications for players’ aspirations to represent their countries, and the competition's alignment with existing international and domestic schedules carefully negotiated over the years for both men's and women's rugby.

The public description of the R360 model appears primarily profit-driven, potentially undermining the investments done by national unions and leagues in community rugby, player development, and pathways for participation.

The statement continued to highlight, “International rugby and our major competitions are the financial and cultural backbones sustaining every level of the game, from grassroots to elite. Compromising this ecosystem could be significantly detrimental to the health of our sport.”

The unions lamented that a collaborative discussion on these matters would have been substantially more beneficial, yet those promoting the R360 competition have not engaged sufficiently with all unions to clarify their business and operating model.

In light of these concerns, each national union will advise both men’s and women’s players that taking part in R360 would disqualify them from international selection.