R360 Players Subject to 10-Season Suspension from Australia's Rugby League
The athlete won 20 test matches for the All Blacks before transferring allegiance to the Samoan team.
Australian rugby league's authority has declared that athletes who join the “breakaway” R360 will be barred for 10 seasons.
The new league, which plans to launch in October 2026, is hoping to draw players from union and league with hefty contracts and a slimmed-down game calendar.
Top rugby league athletes have reportedly been approached by R360, which will include six to eight men's clubs and four women's sides operating from large metropolitan areas globally.
Representing Samoa the player, who plays for his NRL club in the NRL, has confirmed he has had negotiations involving R360.
Papenhuyzen, Lomax, Payne Haas and Gray are also reported to be thinking about signing the new competition.
Several leading rugby union nations, among them Australia, last week declared a ban on athletes signing with R360 participating in global fixtures.
“We have consulted our clubs and we've acted decisively,” said Australian Rugby League Commission chairman V'Landys.
“Sadly, there will continually be entities that attempt to hijack our game for monetary profit.
“They avoid funding in talent pipelines or the advancement of athletes. They simply exploit the dedication of existing bodies, endangering athletes of financial loss while gaining personally.
“In truth, they represent, copying the game.”
R360 is launched by retired international Tindall and funded by commercial backers.
Following the prospective union prohibitions were revealed recently, it said: “We aim to collaborate in partnership as a component of the global rugby calendar.
“The series is arranged with tailored timetables for men's and women's teams and we will permit participants for international matches, as written into their agreements.”
The breakaway group will seek approval for its proposals from World Rugby, union's regulatory group, at its official gathering in the coming year.
