R360 Players Hit With Decade-Long Exclusion from NRL
The rugby star won 20 international appearances for New Zealand before changing representation to Samoa.
Australian rugby league's authority has announced that participants who enter the “counterfeit” R360 league will be barred for 10 seasons.
The proposed competition, which plans to launch in 2026, is seeking to lure rugby union and rugby league players with lucrative deals and a reduced game calendar.
Leading NRL players have reportedly received offers by R360, which will include six or eight men's clubs and women's teams based in key urban centers worldwide.
The Samoan the rugby star, who represents his NRL club in the NRL, has stated he has had negotiations involving the breakaway league.
Ryan Papenhuyzen, Lomax, Payne Haas and Gray are also said to be weighing up offers from the new competition.
Several leading rugby union nations, such as Australia, earlier announced a restriction on R360 recruits participating in test matches.
“We've listened to our franchises and we've taken firm action,” stated Australian Rugby League Commission head V'Landys.
“Regrettably, there will continually be entities that seek to pirate our game for monetary profit.
“They don't invest in talent pipelines or the advancement of players. They simply exploit the hard work of other organizations, jeopardizing careers of financial loss while benefiting financially.
“Essentially, they are, copying the game.”
The organization is launched by former England World Cup winner Mike Tindall and backed by independent financiers.
Subsequent to the prospective union bans were revealed recently, it commented: “We seek to cooperate collaboratively as part of the worldwide fixture list.
“The event is structured with bespoke schedules for men's and women's teams and we will permit participants for test matches, as written into their contracts.”
The breakaway group will request authorization for its proposals from World Rugby, union's regulatory group, at its board session next year.
