The R360 plan is a disruption, but the good thing about disruptions is that they cause conversations, and it’s always good for rugby union to take stock of where it is.
The old adage that “if it ain’t broke don’t fix it” is fine if everything is ticking along successfully, but rugby union in England and Wales is on its knees financially, even though the Premiership is good to watch.
When you get the first headline that the top 40 players will be paid £1m it grabs people’s attention, although, inevitably, the next question is how much will the remaining 240 players be paid?
The questions do not end there. When the RFU lets it be known that it has no plans to change its agreements with the Premiership clubs, it becomes even harder to see R360’s starting line in April 2026 being practical.
However, it would be surprising if there are not plenty of players who are interested in what comes next.
When Kerry Packer’s World Rugby Corporation reared its head in 1995 it was very appealing to players, and I signed an unconditional contract which paid me whether it happened, or it didn’t.
It was very exciting, with the USA mentioned as a venue, and after talking to a couple of my team-mates we were ready to hear more.
However, it didn’t happen because South Africa signed up their players, and then New Zealand and Australia followed suit, and Rupert Murdoch went on to create SANZAR.
LIV Golf Comparison
The same is probably true now, because when you talk about the best players in the world being given a three-year contract, and a guaranteed £3m over that period, just as in LIV golf, that’s a life-altering proposition.
That’s especially the case if you are player on or around 30, who has been on a Lions tour and has a bundle of international caps.
It’s not an offer you would blow out of the water immediately – you’d want to give it careful consideration.
It’s difficult to see the national unions in rugby, like the RFU, letting players go without some reaction – but while sanctions would make you think, it’s the money that talks.
However, LIV golf has managed to work some sort of accommodation after a very negative initial reaction, because their players are now able to play in the majors.
It indicates that sometimes agreement can be reached – and then it gets even more interesting.
Franchising
It is clear that R360 are creating a type of world franchise league, which will almost certainly be a competitor to every domestic league and competition.
We don’t know yet what sanctions will be in place to protect those competitions from R360, but because the Premiership has a legal contract with the RFU, and, crucially, the Premiership clubs have contracts with England players, you would think a way of overcoming it has been found.
Availability of top-class referees and other match officials is also an issue for R360’s credibility, because they are all either contracted to national unions and World Rugby.
Their only alternative is to develop their own referees, which is not practical in such a short time frame.
Every player has their own expectations and career plans, but inevitably towards the end of your career you want to cash in, and earn as much as possible, which makes players in that position more likely to look at an offer.
“The lack of detail on what is being proposed is why most people are saying it’s farcical”
Early in my England career when I was approached to go to rugby league I turned it down because I saw a better future playing for Bath and England, and being in contention for Lions tours.
However, I was 30 at the time of the Packer pitch, and would have considered going anywhere in the world for three or four years for a lot more money than I was earning at the time.
At the moment, R360 has got people talking. Many are saying it’s not got a chance, while others want to see more meat on the bone when it comes to the detail.
But it has a different angle to it because, although the match action is still the main theme, you can’t just think rugby here.
They are talking about a 14 to 16 week season, held around the globe in 14 to 16 of the world’s greatest cities, and played in two segments.
The first is in April to June, and the second in August-September. This involves each city being transformed into an entertainment hub for the best part of a week, with the rugby centre-stage, but surrounded by concerts featuring great musicians, entertainers, gastronomic events, and festivals, making the whole experience something super special.
Live Event
There is an appetite for live events, because there are not as many as there used to be in a world in which big numbers of young people rely mainly on streaming for their entertainment.
This gives them an opportunity to be at live events which engage all the senses – sight, taste, hearing, smell, and touch – in a shared experience.
It’s intriguing, and I imagine there have been some clever people involved, which is why there is said to be funding and interest from big corporations, both inside and outside sport.
At the moment, however, for it to start in April 2026 looks like pie in the sky just because of the scale of the logistics and preparation.
Either that, or a huge to-do list must have been done.
When LIV golf and IPL cricket first started they announced the star names participating in those events at the outset, and R360 will have to do the same very soon because they have less than 12 months remaining to make it happen.
The lack of detail, apart from R360 being played outside the existing international schedule, is why most people are saying it’s farcical.
That’s why, now the organisers have started the ball rolling, they have to start delivering detail for the ‘reveal’ to have any substance – or people will start to lose interest.
R360 is a franchise concept that challenges the Premiership’s own version, and it might speed up the process of both of them providing more information.
At the moment the biggest surprise about R360 is that the organisation has not succeeded in securing the approval of World Rugby from the outset.
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