Rugby red card rule changes: What is the 20-minute rule and what offences will warrant it?

THE Autumn Nations Series takes place in November with a new law for fans to get their heads around.

SunSport explains everything you need to know about rugby‘s new 20-minute red card being trialled this month.

What is the 20-minute red card?

The new red card will be trialled at November’s Autumn Nations Series and is very different to the pre-existing one.

The new red will give the referee the option to send a player off for 20 minutes.

Once the time period is over, the offending team can send on a replacement player to re-establish a 15-player line-up.

Referees will still be able to dish out red cards in the conventional manner, which will remove players for the rest of the game and leave the offending team a man down.

What offences will warrant a 20-minute red card?

The 20-minute red card will be distributed to players for committing technical offences – such as accidental head contact.

While the permanent red would still be used for four play that is deemed to be “deliberate and dangerous”.

What’s been said about the 20-minute red card?

Following the Six Nations’ announcement that the 20-minute red card will be introduced at the Autumn Nations Series, the Irish Union issued a statement explaining they do not support the permanent use of the 20-minute red card.

An IRFU statement read: “The IRFU does not support the permanent adoption of a 20-minute red card.

“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.”

The French Rugby Federation were also against the idea of the 20-minute red card being the only one available to referees, claiming it would be “unacceptable and backwards”.

Chief of rugby at Six Nations Rugby Julie Paterson, however, defended the trial.

She said: “No trial or subsequent change is considered without utter confidence that player safety and welfare is front and centre.

“First and foremost, we need to look after the players and their interests, and the trials we have opted to use this November deliver on this commitment.”

The possibility of the 20-minute red becoming the only red card available to referees is to be discussed at a World Rugby meeting on November 14.