Rebel league contract threatens to shake-up world of rugby, stipulations revealed as game faces turning point
A rebel league is threatening to make the biggest disruption to rugby union since the game went professional in 1996. But experienced negotiators are wary of the legal implications.
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This is the bombshell contract that threatens to disrupt the world of rugby, but workplace law experts warn it is a legal minefield that could see players sued personally for employment breaches.
The letter of intent was sent to players around the world, including Wallabies, earlier this year, and states that the rebel league must have at least 200 signed players and a broadcast deal by September 30 to get off the ground.
Doubt remains around the funding of the league, which has since rebranded itself to R360, with the intent of signing the best 300 male and 60 female players in the world to play in a club competition around the world including New York and Paris.
Some in direct negotiation with the rebel group, that includes former England World Cup winner Mike Tindall and former Bath captain Stuart Hooper, are confident they have secured several millions of dollars to fund the ambitious project.
This masthead is aware that several overseas stars have signed the letter of intent, while Australian players are looking over their offers. One Wallaby has been offered close to $1 million to join the league, far more than the $400,000 he is on now.
But experienced negotiators are wary of the legal implications, with one describing the proposal as “a house of cards”.
“This is inducing breaches of contract, most of the players they are targeting are on contract through to 2026, many through to the 2027 World Cup,” the source said, speaking on the condition of anonymity.
“They can counter by saying it’s not binding, but the reality is any employer who has a player on contract, and that player signs this letter of intent, could probably have a good case to take the player and the club to court.”
An employment law specialist said while the contract specifically states that players must not breach existing contracts, the mere signing of a letter of intent could construe a breach, depending on the wording of their current deal.
Very few of the players who can be considered among the world’s best are off contract.
The rebel league stipulates that players who sign cannot play in any other club competition – including Super Rugby Pacific, France’s Top 14, Japan’s Top League or the UK’s Premiership – between 2026-28.
But the proposed timing of games would also clash with The Rugby Championship, so Wallabies and All Blacks stars would have to be willing to give up their Test jerseys to play in the competition.
Players who sign will also hand over their image rights to R360 for all deals excluding boots, which means they may also have to forego existing apparel deals.
Jones to make shock return Down Under for Lions tour
Eddie Jones is making a shock return to Australia for the British and Irish Lions tour.
But before every Wallabies fan – and rugby journalist he told to give themselves an uppercut – starts freaking out, his frenemies can all relax.
Jones will be kept well away from the Australian team – and the media scrum – because he’ll be confined to the commentary booth, and this will be one show that no-one will want to miss.
Love him or loathe him, everyone in rugby realises that Jones knows his stuff and isn’t afraid to voice his opinion even he ruffles a few feathers.
So it’s no surprise that he’s landed himself a plum job with top UK radio station talkSPORT as one of their expert commentators for the Lions series.
talkSPORT has a star-studded line-up but Jones won’t be the only Aussie going into bat for the men in gold because Wallabies legend Matt Giteau will also be behind the microphone.
As a former Wallabies coach, Jones might normally have expected to get a few insider tip offs but this column reckons that might be tricky this time because he’s now in charge of Japan, and the Wallabies are playing the Brave Blossoms in Tokyo in October.
All Blacks given approval to play for invitational team against Lions
Richie Mo’unga, Shannon Frizell and Shaun Stevenson have received insurance approval to participate in the AUNZ Invitational team’s match against the British & Irish Lions on July 10.
The development follows weeks of uncertainty around who would be available for the game.
Now the trio’s Japanese clubs must approve the insurance conditions, and if so, Rugby Australia will immediately announce their inclusion in the AUNZ team.
The three All Blacks stars would add the star power the team needs to engage interest in Adelaide, where the game will be played.
Australian-only Super Rugby comp expected to start September
The Australian-only mini Super Rugby tournament is expected to kick off in mid-September, and will be known as Super Rugby A.
It’s understood that an under-19s Super Rugby A tournament will be played at the same time, while organisers are talking to officials in Fiji, Tonga and Samoa about getting them involved next year.
The timing means the tournament doesn’t disrupt the Shute Shield or Queensland’s Hospital Cup, and keeps players active.
Wallabies nemesis calls it quits
He was the cornerstone for one of Australian rugby’s darkest moments, but Fijian captain Waisea Nayacalevu won’t be around to add more pain in July after announcing his retirement from internationals.
Nayacalevu captained Fiji to their famous 2023 World Cup win over Eddie Jones’ Wallabies, leading to Australia’s exit in the pool stages for the first time.
With Australia to face Fiji in Newcastle on July 6 – their first meeting since the World Cup – Wallabies fans will be breathing a little easier now the outstanding centre has called it quits.
Nayacalevu wrote on social media: “Today is not a goodbye to rugby. It’s just the end of one chapter. I look forward to giving back – whether it’s mentoring the next generation, supporting our grassroots programs, or simply being a proud fan in the stands.
“I retire with no regrets, only gratitude – for every try scored, every challenge faced, and every anthem sung.
“From the bottom of my heart – thank you Fiji. This jersey may leave my shoulders, but it will never leave my heart.”
AFL and NRL miss an opportunity courtesy of Lions’ tour
Not for the first time, Australia’s richest domestic sports haven’t figured out quite what to do with the hordes of British & Irish Lions fans about to hit these shores.
With an expected 40,000 visitors expected in Australia for the nine-match tour, the once-every-12-years trip presents a golden opportunity for others sports to throw out the welcome mat to a massive new audience keen to get a taste of Aussie sporting culture.
The one sure thing about the Lions’ fans is they are big spenders who are coming to Australia for a good time, not a long time, but the penny hasn’t dropped.
Although there are plenty of NRL and AFL matches and race meetings taking place in the same cities around the same time Lions are playing, none of the big sports are doing any promotional work trying to lure the visitors in.
Harness racing, which struggles for spectators at the best of times, is even conducting its showcase event, the Inter Dominion grand final at Brisbane’s Albion Park on the same night the Lions are playing the Wallabies in the first Test at the Gabba.
But there is one sport that has worked out there’s a buck to be made from all the visitors – darts.
Yep, that’s right.
The quintessential pub sport has outdone the big sports by organising two massive darts events around the Lions tour, featuring rugby and darts legends including Simon ‘The Wizard’ Whitlock together under the banner: “Big hits meets bullseyes.”
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