Schmidt evaluates rebel league R360: Threat to the Wallabies?

Joe Schmidt Analyzes the New R360 Rugby Competition

Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt has compared the R360 rugby competition proposal to the Indian Premier League (IPL) of cricket, although he expresses doubts about its success. The ambitious plans for this independent competition include teams based in London, Miami, Tokyo, Dubai, Boston, Cape Town, Lisbon, and Madrid, with a start date planned for October 2026.

Each round of the tournament would be held in a different city, similar to the Rugby Sevens circuit.

Contracts of up to $1.4 million per season will be offered, and players will participate in a draft to determine where they will play. According to reports, several current Wallabies players, as well as NRL stars, have already been contacted. Rugby Australia prepares to ban players who choose to participate in the competition, which could cause a big change ahead of the 2027 World Cup. The competition assures to have financial backing for three years. Schmidt, who considers himself a traditionalist, has mixed feelings about this new proposal.

“I think with a concept like the 360, you tend to move away from the roots of the game,” Schmidt said.

Joe Schmidt

Schmidt added: “That’s where I was integrated, in the roots of the game when I was a child. It’s a bit strange, but it resembles the IPL, which transformed cricket. I really enjoy watching the Big Bash. I think it’s a good concept. At the same time, the long-term traditions of cricket, such as five-day cricket, or three or four-day matches, still appeal to me. I’m not sure how it will be, it’s difficult to predict.” Wallabies prop Allan Alaalatoa said he hasn’t delved into the new competition.

“I don’t know much about that, because I haven’t been contacted. From a player’s perspective, many of us have signed up until the 2027 World Cup. So we are focused on the next moment and giving our all for our state and, now, for the Wallabies,” commented Alaalatoa.

Allan Alaalatoa

T20 cricket and competitions like the IPL have attracted a new generation of sports fans. Schmidt believes that rugby is already doing a good job of attracting children to the game. “We had a full stadium at Allianz, and there were many children. I have received incredible letters from children saying how proud they are to support the Wallabies. I still believe there is a connection, and it’s our responsibility to keep cultivating it,” he concluded.