THIS YEAR’S MEN’S, Women’s and U20 Six Nations Championships will feature 20-minute red cards as well as several other new law trials, tournament organisers have confirmed.
The 20-minute red card, which was trialled during last year’s Rugby Championship and Autumn Nations Series, will apply to technical offences such as head collisions which are not deemed ‘deliberate and dangerous’ foul play.
A player sent off in this instance can be replaced after the 20-minute period has elapsed, which the Six Nations says aims to “punish the player, not the team”.
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Referees will retain the right to award a permanent red card for deliberately dangerous play.
Should a player receive two yellow cards, they will be given a 20-minute red card, because in the event that either offence was deemed dangerous or deliberate, that offence would constitute a permanent red card.
Another law adopted from the Autumn Nations Series will be the ability for referees to go ‘on mic’ to explain key decisions for the benefit of fans in stadiums as well as those watching on television.
A new adaptation for this year’s Men’s Six Nations will be ‘Touchfinder’, which will use Smart Ball technology to aid assistant referees in identifying exactly where a ball crosses the touchline following a kick to touch.
Two recently employed global law trials will continue across all three championships in an effort to enhance the speed of play.
‘Protecting the 9′ aims to facilitate cleaner play at the base of rucks, mauls and scrums, while referees will also enable play to continue following a crooked throw at a lineout provided that lineout is not contested by the defensive team.
With a similar aim to increase game speed and ball-in-play time, the 60-second shot-clock for conversions and the 30-second time limit to form a scrum or a lineout will also continue into all three championships this year.
The TMO protocol has also been revised: the TMO will now possess the additional power to intervene upon clear and obvious infringements — knock-on, forward pass, or ball in touch — in the final attacking passage of play before a score.
Also, specifically within the final two phases, the TMO can identify offside, maul obstruction and tackle completion.
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This year's Six Nations to feature 20-minute red cards among several new law trials
THIS YEAR’S MEN’S, Women’s and U20 Six Nations Championships will feature 20-minute red cards as well as several other new law trials, tournament organisers have confirmed.
The 20-minute red card, which was trialled during last year’s Rugby Championship and Autumn Nations Series, will apply to technical offences such as head collisions which are not deemed ‘deliberate and dangerous’ foul play.
A player sent off in this instance can be replaced after the 20-minute period has elapsed, which the Six Nations says aims to “punish the player, not the team”.
Referees will retain the right to award a permanent red card for deliberately dangerous play.
Should a player receive two yellow cards, they will be given a 20-minute red card, because in the event that either offence was deemed dangerous or deliberate, that offence would constitute a permanent red card.
Another law adopted from the Autumn Nations Series will be the ability for referees to go ‘on mic’ to explain key decisions for the benefit of fans in stadiums as well as those watching on television.
A new adaptation for this year’s Men’s Six Nations will be ‘Touchfinder’, which will use Smart Ball technology to aid assistant referees in identifying exactly where a ball crosses the touchline following a kick to touch.
Two recently employed global law trials will continue across all three championships in an effort to enhance the speed of play.
‘Protecting the 9′ aims to facilitate cleaner play at the base of rucks, mauls and scrums, while referees will also enable play to continue following a crooked throw at a lineout provided that lineout is not contested by the defensive team.
With a similar aim to increase game speed and ball-in-play time, the 60-second shot-clock for conversions and the 30-second time limit to form a scrum or a lineout will also continue into all three championships this year.
The TMO protocol has also been revised: the TMO will now possess the additional power to intervene upon clear and obvious infringements — knock-on, forward pass, or ball in touch — in the final attacking passage of play before a score.
Also, specifically within the final two phases, the TMO can identify offside, maul obstruction and tackle completion.
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