Conversations about sin bins, red cards, and legislative amendments have engulfed the sport of rugby in recent years.
Each season, new laws appear to be implemented, frequently leaving supporters perplexed at the structure and application, and now there is a new rule for fans to grasp!
After SANZAAR opted to reinstate the law trial, the 20-minute red card will be utilised during the Rugby Championship.
The ruling has been implemented for the past three Super Rugby seasons, as well as in last year’s Rugby Championship, but World Rugby has so far rejected it for a global trial, with July Tests being played under traditional rules.
Southern hemisphere teams are continuing to campaign for its acceptability, and will utilise it to gather further supporting evidence during the forthcoming series including Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and Argentina.
The ruling has been implemented for the past three Super Rugby seasons, as well as in last year’s Rugby Championship, but World Rugby has so far rejected it for a global trial, with July Tests being played under traditional rules.
Southern hemisphere teams are continuing to campaign for its acceptability, and will utilise it to gather further supporting evidence during the forthcoming series including Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and Argentina.
“This is a great decision for The Rugby Championship and follows on from its application in Super Rugby,” SANZAAR boss Brendan Morris said.
“As a group we firmly believe the integrity of international matches is very important and that wherever possible matches must be a contest of 15 versus 15.”
Morris stated that SANZAAR felt the 20-minute red card was a substantial deterrent to purposeful foul play while not detracting from the game’s spectacle.
However, northern hemisphere organisations believe it is risky and insufficiently punitive to induce behavioural and coaching change.
“SANZAAR stands alongside World Rugby’s important work on managing foul play and player welfare and will conduct a formal research project across the 2022 TRC period with all comparative findings to be shared with World Rugby at the end of the season,” Morris said.
“The aim is to gather the necessary information that allows the 20-minute red card trial to be accepted into the full laws of the game in the future.”
