R360 ‘would be death knell for club rugby around the world’

Sale co-owner Michelle Orange says the proposed new R360 competition risks killing off club rugby around the world if it gets off the ground.

R360, fronted by former England centre Mike Tindall, aims to launch in October, after a recruitment drive to sign star names for eight men’s teams and four women’s teams who will compete on an F1-style circuit of events in major world cities.

However, Orange says she and fellow owners would withdraw from rugby rather than become R360 feeder clubs.

“We’re certainly not going to keep investing all that money into building a pathway, only for Mike Tindall every three or four years…to take the cream off the top of the milk again.

“I’m not saying the Curry boys [Sale and England flankers Tom and Ben] are going to 360 – I’m just using them as an example – but if they went, by the time they retire, Mike Tindall’s going to need to replace them and keep expecting me to replace them within my squad.

“Most clubs are being supported by wealthy individuals who love the sport, want to do their bit for the sport, but certainly aren’t that stupid to keep putting money in to creating a conveyor belt that’s going to fund R360 and get no compensation for it.”

R360’s organisers claim it will soon turn a profit, by drawing in fans who watch Test rugby but don’t follow the current club game, as well as attracting new audiences.

It views its recruitment of overseas stars as no different from the sort of policy pursued by Japan’s top-tier clubs.

All Blacks fly-half Richie Mo’unga and South Africa’s two-time world player of the year Pieter-Steph du Toit are among those attracted to Japan Rugby League One by high wages and low workloads.

However, publicly at least, R360 is yet to make significant headway in building its roster.

Eight leading Test nations have issued a blanket ban on R360 recruits representing their national teams, wrecking hopes the rebel tournament had of allowing its players to combine the venture with international careers.

World Rugby is also yet to sanction R360 after asking for more information about the start-up’s plans.

Tom Curry, speaking in September, reaffirmed his own commitment to Sale.

“The investment from Simon and Michelle [Orange] and Ged Mason, we’re in a very fortunate position where we are in Manchester,” he said. “Nothing would get me away from that.”

England’s top flight has been optimistic that it can slowly move away from individual benefactors covering losses from their own pockets.

Orange says the impact of R360 would be most keenly felt in the women’s game however, with England’s Premiership Women’s Rugby (PWR), which hosts big-name talent from around the world, particularly vulnerable.

“I think it would absolutely kill the women’s game off,” Orange added.

“I completely understand why any international player would want to join R360. When you look at what these girls are earning as wages now, it’s still paltry compared to what the men get.

“And we’re not going to be in a position for several years to even start thinking about those wages going up dramatically – just because there’s not the money in the game.

“I don’t want to ever deprive an athlete from going to earn better money for themselves, they deserve it.

“But Mike Tindall is going to need a minimum of 120 to 140 players to join his league to make it successful for the four female franchises.

“If you take 140 girls out of the PWR , it would decimate us.

It has been speculated that rugby league duo Zac Lomax and Ryan Papenhuyzen are destined for R360, after the pair walked away from unfulfilled NRL contracts with Parramatta Eels and Melbourne Storm respectively.

“I feel sorry for Zac, I feel sorry for Ryan Papenhuyzen, I think they’re being ill-advised and they’re jeopardising their whole careers on wild promises,” said Australian Rugby League Commission chair Peter V’landys earlier this week.

“What I would be strongly recommending to them is to get irrevocable bank guarantees that they will actually get paid.

“Anyone can make wild promises. Nobody has done any due diligence on any business model.”