Oct 19,2024
The IRFU has joined the French rugby union in opposition to the controversial trial of a 20-minute red card for all sending off offences.
World Rugby's council is due to vote on a series of law trials next month, one of which would see teams being allowed to replace a red-carded player after 20 minutes.
Earlier this week, the French Rugby Federation (FFR), National Rugby League (LNR) and players' union (Provale) issued a joint statement on Monday making it clear that they would firmly oppose the move, saying it "would weaken our ability to protect the physical integrity of athletes".
This afternoon, the Six Nations confirmed it would be trialling 20-minute red cards in the upcoming Autumn Nations Series, but only for incidents that are deemed "technical acts of foul play deemed not to be deliberate or intentional."
The IRFU stated its opposition to the introduction of a standalone 20-minute red card for all sending-off offences, but stopped short of condemning the trial in its entirety.
"The IRFU does not support the permanent adoption of a 20-minute red card," an IRFU statement said.
"Player welfare and safety are paramount to the core values of the game and the option of a permanent red card for deliberate and intentional acts of foul play supports those values and protects the integrity of the game.
"The IRFU welcomes the variation to World Rugby’s closed law trial, which will be adopted in the upcoming Autumn Nations Series, whereby match officials will retain the ability to award a permanent red card for acts of foul play which are deemed deliberate and dangerous.
"Match officials will also have the option of a 20-minute red card for technical acts of foul play deemed not to be deliberate or intentional.
"In these circumstances, the player will be removed from the field of play with the offending team able to replace that player after 20 minutes, with one of their available replacements, which was also trialed in this year’s Rugby Championship."
The 20-minute red card was previously used during the Pro14 Rainbow Cup in 2021, while World Rugby adopted closed trials of it earlier in 2024, which included the World Rugby U20 Championship, the Pacific Nations Cup and the Rugby Championship.
Another law trial being introduced to the Autumn Nations Series for the first time is the option for the referee to go 'on mic’ to explain their decision or key moments, for the benefit of those in the stadium, or watching at home via broadcast coverage.
