Rugby Union: Six Nations 20-Minute Red Card
By Prof Dr Ian Blackshaw
This year’s Six Nations will use 20-minute red cards for the first time for the men’s, women’s and under-20s Championships.
The 20-minute red card is designed to punish the player not the team, whereby teams will be able to replace the offending player after 20 minutes.
However, referees will still be able to issue a full and permanent red card to players for deliberate and dangerous acts of foul play. Such acts include head contact that could cause concussion, against which there continues to be a crackdown.
Julie Paterson, the Six Nations head, commented as follows:
“Across the game, everyone is working together to ensure we are exploring new and innovative ways to make the game as safe as possible, alongside ambitions to enhance the spectacle for fans, and the experience for players.”
The men’s Six Nations begins on 31 January with France against Wales taking place in Paris.
It will be interesting to see how this new disciplinary measure works in practice.
Prof Dr Ian Blackshaw may be contacted by e-mail at ‘
