The former England rugby captain, whose wife Zara is 22nd in line to the throne, has made a big announcement
Tindall, pictured with his wife Zara, is aiming to create ‘generational change’ in rugby(Image: Getty Images)
Mike Tindall’s plan to shake up the game of rugby as we know it has taken a major step forward, with the England Rugby World Cup winner announcing that he has secured three years of funding for his proposed new breakaway league.
The 46-year-old – who is also a member of the Royal Family after marrying King Charles III’s niece, Zara Phillips, in 2011 – is heading up R360, a proposed franchise league that wants to create “generational change in rugby” and change the game like never before.
With former Bath director of rugby Stuart Hooper fronting the ambitious project alongside Tindall, they have proposed the creation of 12 new franchise teams, each stacked with the world’s top rugby talent. Earlier this year, it was reported that the former England centre was aiming to launch R360 next year, only for funding concerns to emerge.
However, those concerns have now been resolved, with Tindall confirming that the required money is now in place. While the project has been criticised by some in the game, it has also received significant support and there is now seemingly little else preventing the bombshell proposals from becoming a reality in a matter of months.
According to Tindall – who has been joined on the project by sports marketing executive Mark Spoors and former LIV Golf lawyer John Loffhagen – the rebel league is aimed at addressing the current issues that rugby faces, namely financial woes and declining supporter engagement.
“Rugby is feeling the fallout of the last few years with financial mismanagement, declining investment in the club game and a product that is struggling to evolve,” he said.
“Clubs around the world are feeling the strain and are being propped up by the international game. Rugby’s lack of innovation and ability to change risks losing its appeal to new audiences and its younger market.”
Tindall has targeted some of the world’s top rugby talent(Image: Getty Images)
More than 200 players are thought to be on board for the rebel league, having reportedly been offered contracts worth up to around $1 million (£740,000) per season.
While no individual players have been confirmed to be part of the proposals, it is understood that some serious firepower has already been acquired for the league, with Tindall aiming to get those at the top of the world game on board. Those involved reportedly include four high-profile Springboks, as well as 10 recent England internationals, who are believed to have put pen to paper on deals.
Players from Argentina, Australia and the Pacific Islands are also said to be heavily involved on the current roster, with All Blacks back-rower Ardie Savea reportedly the subject of talks with Tindall and Co. Despite Wales’ current struggles, some of the nation’s biggest names have also emerged as targets, with a handful of Welsh players provisionally agreeing deals.
Louis Rees-Zammit is believed to be among them amid his return to rugby with Bristol Bears, while Jac Morgan is said to be a major target for the project after an impressive campaign with the British & Irish Lions this summer.
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It is not just rugby union’s finest that Tindall is after either, with a string of National Rugby League (NRL) stars also being linked with switching codes to join up. Following the former England star’s funding announcement at the end of September, it was reported Down Under that up to 10 NRL players have committed to the new league, including Ryan Papenhuyzen, Zac Lomax and Jye Gray.
Louis Rees-Zammit is a reported target for R360(Image: CameraSport via Getty Images)
The explosion in interest in Tindall’s project is not overly surprising, with players essentially set to earn far more money for a less demanding run of fixtures. With eight men’s teams and four women’s teams proposed under the proposals, it has been suggested that players will play just eight games in the first season, which is expected to run between September and December next year.
After the league gets off the ground, seasons are expected to comprise 16 matches, which is still a dramatic reduction from the current demands placed on players in the Premiership, URC and elsewhere. In addition, R360 also plans to give players 12 weeks off per year and fund two family trips per year to join the players in whatever part of the world they are based in.
The franchises will be based across the globe, with Tokyo, London, Dubai, Cape Town, Boston and Miami all being touted as potential locations. In July, MailOnline reported that Fenway Sports Group – who also own Liverpool FC and the Boston Red Sox FC – are interested in becoming franchise owners, as well as the Glazer family, who own more than 70 per cent of Manchester United.