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Tom Hamilton, Senior Writer
Rugby union’s stars are being targeted for a breakaway competition, with the powerbrokers aiming to launch the league in 2026, multiple sources have confirmed to ESPN.
First reported by the Times, Telegraph and Daily Mail, it could see the biggest shake-up to the sport since it went professional in 1995, with between 15 to 20 of the game’s established stars expressing early interest in potentially joining this breakaway Formula 1-style tournament.
It is understood plans are still in the early stages, but there is urgency in establishing a pool of interested players from both the men’s and women’s game with a view to attracting further talent.
The rough plans would see a global competition established, which has taken inspiration from elements of Formula 1, LIV Golf and the Indian Premier League. The outline would see eight franchise teams established, with each round of the competition held in a different city, taking the league around the world.
One senior coach told ESPN: “The whole game needs a shake-up. We need revolution to evolve.”
Another ESPN source said: “It’s exactly what rugby needs. The club game is broken in every market. The players are frustrated, and I think you could get the players onside quickly.”
One other source warned there are several hurdles ahead, though. The sport’s biggest players are all under contract with their respective teams, so if the league’s powerbrokers push ahead with approaching and trying to sign players, the buyout clauses and compensation could run into tens of millions of pounds. It is understood there’s interest from both UK and U.S.-based investors in this competition, which would sit alongside domestic leagues and international fixtures.
World Rugby is not understood to be concerned at the developments at this stage. The news of the breakaway came on the same day the sport’s governing body confirmed Brett Robinson as its new chairman.
Before news of the breakaway broke, Robinson said the sport does need change. “I was very clear leading into the elections that the financial sustainability of our member unions is at crisis point, so we have to find ways, collectively, to deal with that,” Robinson said.
“I was really clear about the need to grow the game, while ensuring our core markets are in a good place.”
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