The controversial 20-minute red card law’s future will be decided at a World Rugby council vote next month, chief executive Alan Gilpin has confirmed.
The concept, first trialled in Super Rugby, allows a red-carded player to be replaced after a 20-minute sin-binning, effectively replacing the permanent sanctioning.
However, referees have maintained the ability to issue a ‘full red card’ with certain trials, which was the case during the November internationals last year and the 2025 Six Nations.
The concept has polarised the rugby public and even the unions, with the French Rugby Federation and Irish Rugby Football Union making their respective positions clear.
France and Ireland to vote against
“For the FFR, the LNR and Provale, the red card is a crucial tool which deters unsportsmanlike behaviour and protects the physical integrity of players,” an FFR statement read in October.
“Turning this sanction into a temporary expulsion could encourage dangerous behaviour, thereby compromising player safety, which must remain the top priority.
“French professional clubs and national team management emphasise the need to maintain a firm attitude towards unfair play. The red card as a collective sanction aims to preserve balance and fair play, and its reduction to an individual sanction would weaken this essential function.
“Furthermore, this rule would mark an unacceptable step backwards on the measures put in place for several years to reduce head impacts and encourage players to have greater technical mastery in contact.”
Meanwhile, the IRFU stated that it “does not support the permanent adoption of a 20-minute red card.”
As for South Africa, they have backed the idea along with New Zealand and Australia.
World Rugby’s view
If the law is greenlit through the vote, it will feature in the upcoming Women’s Rugby World Cup and all other rugby competitions later this year.
World Rugby chief Gilpin says there is a lot of proof to support the permanent implementation of the law.
“There’s a lot of evidence to support that it’s keeping the contest alive, which is important to us,” Gilpin said.
“There are those in the game who are against it and believe that 20-minute red cards mean there will not be any old-fashioned red cards and therefore they’re against the proposal, and there a lot of people supportive of it.”
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SANZAAR unions to vote for
It is likely that the SANZAAR nations – Argentina, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa – will vote in favour of the 20-minute red cards while most of the Six Nations unions are likely to vote against it.
While South Africa have stated their position in favour of the law tweak, National Laws Advisor Jaco Peyper did add a caveat when discussing the trial last year.
“We are especially in favour of it if there is still a full red card as the referee retains the power to still punish blatant or deliberate foul play with a red card (of 80 minutes),” he told Rapport’s praat sport.
“The 20-minute red card is good because there needs to be a penalty for head contact, it’s well proven that it’s necessary for the well-being of players over a long period of time and there needs to be an adjustment in behaviour.
“But sometimes it’s just a dynamic action and you get it technically wrong and not intentional. Then we believe 20 minutes is enough because you don’t want to further punish the guy who paid R1000 or £100 to come watch the game.”
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Src: Planetrugby.com - https://www.planetrugby.com/news/crunch-world-rugby-vote-will-decide-controversial-20-minute-red-card-law-and-how-unions-are-likely-to-lean
