Ryan Papenhuyzen is the latest high profile NRL star linked to a move to rugby union, and interest in other NRL stars may not be far away either.
Papenhuyzen has become a surprise target for a rebel rugby union competition backed by major overseas funding, as stated by Danny Weidler on 100% Footy, the Melbourne Storm fullback is firmly in the crosshairs of the project’s organisers.
“There’s a concept that is being hatched around the world called Rugby 360, which is a Saudi-backed idea,” Weidler explained. “They are starting to look at players, and one of the players who’s definitely on their radar is Ryan Papenhuyzen.”
“I’ve reached out to Ryan’s management,” Weidler added. “They wouldn’t comment on it — but they didn’t deny it either. And when I spoke to Melbourne, they said they wouldn’t be surprised if there was interest in Papi.”
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The competition, known as R360, is an ambitious plan to launch a new international franchise-based rugby competition September next year, featuring 12 teams competing in marquee venues across Europe.
It is part of a growing global trend of well-funded breakaway leagues attempting to disrupt established sports ecosystems which can target the best athletes from around the globe.
While no formal offer is believed to have been made, the interest alone suggests R360 is serious about poaching top-tier talent from rival codes.
That pursuit could test the loyalty of players like Papenhuyzen, particularly with the kind of money being speculated with millions reportedly on the table that could represent big pay increases for plenty of NRL talent.
Papenhuyzen, who has battled through a series of injuries in recent seasons, is still seen as one of the NRL’s most electrifying players when fit, and is still a hot commodity on the open market.
With contract negotiations on the horizon for the Storm flyer, a move of this nature would represent one of the most dramatic cross-code switches in years if it acme to fruition.
While Papenhuyzen remains under contract with the Storm he is eligible to negotiate with rival NRL clubs from November 1, and this latest development adds a new layer of intrigue to his future.
After years of competition for league talent — particularly from Japanese and French rugby, or the lure of a Wallabies jersey — this latest development signals that the tug-of-war between codes for elite players is intensifying, with potentially another competition now ready to swoop.