Princess Anne’s son-in-law Mike Tindall has been hit with a major blow as his independent business venture faces a damning verdict.
The rebel rugby league has faced a challenge as key governing bodies issue a critical response to the proposed competition.
Spearheaded by former England star Mike Tindall, the R360 project aims to reshape the sport from the ground up.
After the announcement of plans to roll out the competition next year, the Rugby Football Union (RFU) are expected to announce that male players who sign contracts with R360 will be barred from playing for England.
The governing body is thought to be consulting with unions worldwide to ensure the ban’s application across all levels of international rugby.
The RFU is reportedly “adamant” that male players joining R360 will be excluded, while the International Rugby Players Association has also refused to back the breakaway league.
In a statement to players, seen by The Telegraph, officials outlined their objections.
“Various information has been in the public domain about the proposed R360 competition and we understand that more recently, a proposed draft long-form player contract may have been circulated by R360 to players and/or player agents,” the statement began.
It added, “Whilst IRPA and IRPA members have had some discussions with R360 representatives, these conversations have been focused on fact finding to understand the substantive detail about the business model, the competition, its delivery and its interplay with the existing ecosystem.”
The statement said R360 lacks World Rugby approval and remains without full details. It added that IRPA does not endorse the league or its contracts, noting this had been made clear in recent communications with R360.
The latest blow is a major setback for Mike Tindall’s R360 league, which had been courting top players with lucrative contracts of up to £740,000 a season.
Led by Tindall with Stuart Hooper, Mark Spoors, and ex-LIV Golf lawyer John Loffhagen, the league promised “generational change” in rugby.
