A launch event is weeks away, but R360 rugby tournament lacks world Rugby’s vital seal of approval.
Table of Contents
A new rugby tournament, R360, is set to
player Eligibility and National Union Policies
Each national union sets its own policy towards international selection. New Zealand, England, Ireland and France, for example, favour or exclusively pick domestic-based players.
Any of their stars who switch to R360 would, barring a radical change in their union’s stance, be ineligible for Test selection. This is a major deterrent.
Though, south africa, Australia, Scotland and Argentina’s sides are among those open to overseas stars. This raises the possibility that, for them, a lucrative sideline in a ratified R360 could co-exist wiht a Test career.
The best business sense for R360 is to be able to assure players they can have both. In this regard, World Rugby wants the same.
Calendar Clashes Pose a Major Threat
Such is the importance of the international game showing off its stars, World Rugby stipulates sanctioned club tournaments make players available for their countries at set times of the year. These are known as release windows.
However, those release windows leave little room in the calendar. This impacts R360’s prospective all-star international roster of men’s and women’s players who need to be available simultaneously occurring.
R360’s current plan is to run in two blocks: from April to June and August to September. These would clash with the Women’s Six Nations and the usual Rugby
