Premiership teams fear breakaway rugby franchise league could lead to a collapse of the English game with world's top players targeted
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- R360 are looking to create 12 new franchise sides with the world's biggest stars
- Premiership bosses have large concerns they could be forced out of existence
- Players touring with the British & Irish Lions in Australia have been approached
There are real and substantive fears at Gallagher Premiership teams that the creation of a new rugby breakaway franchise league could be the death knell for English clubs.
R360 say they want to provide 'generational change in rugby' by creating 12 new franchise teams with the best players in the world who will play at the best stadiums around the planet.
While plans for the new concept would retain the importance and prestige of the international game and organisers are understood to have left gaps for the existing club game to continue, it is understood Premiership club bosses have significant concerns they could be forced out of existence.
Mail Sport understands that Premiership Rugby Limited – which oversees the running of the Premiership – has looked to reassure those with worries.
R360 is being led by former England star and 2003 World Cup winner Mike Tindall and ex-rugby agent Mark Spoors. They plan to target the world's leading lights such as French superstar Antoine Dupont and England internationals such as Maro Itoje and Marcus Smith.
Players touring with the British & Irish Lions in Australia this summer have been approached.
Heads of terms over potential contracts which could be worth up to $1mliion each have been seen by the players and are sure to prove attractive.
While no firm contracts have yet been offered, the clubs are concerned they will lose their top stars, thus making them less marketable at a time when the Premiership is already struggling financially. Such a scenario could potentially force them out of business.
It has been pointed out to Mail Sport that it would be counterintuitive for Premiership clubs to produce players through their own pathway programmes at a great deal of cost both in terms of time and money, only for them to potentially then lose them to R360.
Mail Sport also understands that those close to the R360 deal have been told to keep quiet over the league's proposals. Leading agents in the English game have also signed non-disclosure agreements with R360 to minimise competition detail leaks.
As such, there is some frustration at Premiership clubs at the timing this week of news surrounding R360's plans. There is a belief in some quarters the news was designed to be released in the week of the Premiership play-off semi-finals to distract from what should be a big week in English club rugby and become the main talking point.
