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'If the 20-minute red card comes in at all levels it might be a case of 'Watch out, boys''
The Rugby Championship’s opening weekend also marked the next stage of World Rugby’s 20-minute red card trial.
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Unlike the remainder of the temporary law changes currently being piloted this is not being extended across the board, so will not be seen when the European season gets underway in the autumn.
Under the trial, a player who has received a red card or two yellows may not return to the field, but can be replaced after 20 minutes.
David Rose, who refereed in the English Premiership between 2001 and 2013, believes this change is very much about the elite end of the sport where the quality of the spectacle is vital for the paying audience – either in the stadium or on TV.
“World Rugby tend to make decisions using evidence-based outcomes and lots of research,” he said.
“When we have occasionally seen players being red-carded in the opening minutes of a big game it has often diluted the contest – which is what this tries to deal with.
“Players need to adjust their approach around head contacts since with the way the protocol is now written we are ending up with a lot more red cards than used to be the case.
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“A lot of people look at this and say ‘the game’s gone soft’ which is nonsense, but adjustments to the new regulations are still being made by the current generation of players and coaches.
“The protocol does allow some leeway for changes in height or angle – for instance Finn Russell was only penalised and not carded recently for his contact with Cheslin Kolbe.
“But there are still grey areas which can have an impact on the game. As a result, sometimes when a red card happens it can be seen as too much of a sanction especially when it affects the spectacle for a big crowd and watching TV audience.”
Rose, who took charge of over 100 Premiership games before becoming a TMO, said that while he understands the thinking behind the 20-minute red card, he still has queries in his mind.
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Really intesting views from a man who's been there…https://t.co/Jyywrj0n8M
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) August 16, 2021
“A lot can happen in 20 minutes as we saw with the All Blacks against Australia,” he said.
“One team could still run away with the game and ruin the spectacle so I’m still not sure it totally deals with that issue.
“This is only an elite level trial currently, but historically rugby union has worked with one set of laws from top to bottom. If this is ever brought in across the board, I would have some concerns about how it might impact at local level.
“It isn’t hard to see someone lower down the tree viewing it as an opportunity to take advantage of the situation should a game get a bit out of control as they know their team will only lose a player for 20 minutes.
“Picture a situation where a league game at the start of the season has been a bit acrimonious – if this regulation is brought in across the sport it might be a case of ‘watch out, boys’ when the return game happens in the spring.”
More ammunition for the Giteau's Law abolitionists…https://t.co/9GzTY0u7uX
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) August 16, 2021
Rose believes other alternatives may also be worthy of consideration in an attempt to balance the need to deter foul play while taking a less punitive approach to technical infringements.
“One option may be for two technical offence yellow cards not to add up to a red in that match with the offender instead getting a one-match ban after the event,” he said.
“It might also be worth looking at the rugby league system of ‘on report’ for foul play as a means to address concerns about damaging the spectacle at elite level.”
Comments on RugbyPass
An on field red (aka a full red) in SRP must surely carry a bigger suspension than a red card given by the bunker as that carries a 20 minute team punishment. Had Damon Murphy abdicated his responsibility as a ref and issued both Drua players a yellow, which would have been upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker, that would have killed Australia and New Zealand’s push for the 20 minute red to be trialled globally from July this year.
11 Go to commentsEver so often you all post a Danny Care story that isn’t the announcement that he has finally re-signed for one more, victory tour season at Quins and I’m just like, “well you fooled me again!” My absolute favorite player ever, we need to make his final year at the Stoop (and Twickers) official already. I know he supposedly snubbed France but I won’t feel better until he signs.
1 Go to commentslate hit what late hit it wasn’t at all late and can clearly see he was committed before the tackle
1 Go to commentsChristian Lio -Willies 2 try perfomance was a standout. As was captain Scott Barrett. Up front was where the boys won it.They are a great team and players. Fantastic Crusades , you can keep going.
1 Go to commentsI don't know how the locals feel about that? I guess if you call yourselves the Worcester Wasps that might be appease. But really we need more teams in the Premiership in my view so they are not padding it out as they are at the moment. It might curtail so many players going abroad as well
5 Go to commentsNZ 😭😭😭is certainly rivaling England for best whingers cup!😭😭😭 !!!
25 Go to commentsYup. New Zealand won 3 out of 10 world cups played. SA 4 out of 8 attempts 30 Vs 50 per cent.🤔🤔
25 Go to commentsShould've done this years ago. Change Saturday kick off times to around 11am. Up and off and back home before 3pm, limit travel time too. Allows players to actually do something else with their Saturday that's family oriented or being rugby fans they could ‘watch’ pro rugby. Increases crowds etc. How can anyone that enjoys grassroots and pro rugby have to choose between the two on Saturdays?
9 Go to commentsI bet he inspired those supporters just as much.
1 Go to commentsBen Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
25 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
9 Go to commentsPick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to commentsLike tennis, who have a ranking system, and I believe rugby too, just measure over each period preceding a world cup event who was the longest number one and that would be it. In tennis the number one player frequently is not the grand slam winner. I love and adore the All Blacks since the days of Ian Kirkpatrick when I was a kid in SA. And still do because they are the masters of running rugby and are gentleman on and off the field - in general. And in my opinion they have been the majority of the time the best rugby team in the world.
25 Go to commentsHaving overseas possessions in 2024 is absurd. These Frenchies should have to give the New Caledonians their freedom.
21 Go to commentsBell injured his foot didn’t he? Bring Tupou in he’ll deliver when it counts. Agree mostly but I would switch in the Reds number 8 Harry Wilson for Swinton and move Rob Valentini to 6 instead. Wilson is a clever player who reads the play, you can’t outmuscle the AB’s and Springboks, if you have any chance it’s by playing clever. Same goes for Paisami, he’s a little guy who doesn’t really trouble the likes of De Allende and Jordie Barrett. I’d rather play Carter Gordon at 12 and put Michael Lynagh’s boy at 10. That way you get a BMT type goalkicker at 10 and a playmaker at 12. Anyways, just my two cents as a Bok supporter.
14 Go to commentsThanks Brett, love your articles which are alway pertinent. It’s a difficult topic trying to have a panel adjudicating consistently penalties for red card issues. Many of the mitigating reasons raised are judged subjectively, hence the different outcomes. How to take away subjective opinions?
11 Go to commentsYes Sir! Surprising, just like Fraser would also have escaped sanction if he was a few inches lower, even if it was by accident that he missed! Has there really been talk about those sanctions or is this just sensational journalism? I stopped reading, so might have missed any notations.
11 Go to commentsAI is only as good as the information put in, the nuances of the sport, what you see out the corner of the eye, how you sum up in a split second the situation, yes the AI is a tool but will not help win games, more likely contribute to a loss, Rugby Players are not robots, all AI can do if offer a solution not the solution. AI will effect many sports, help train better golfers etc.
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