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.
Sometimes, you have the tv commentators talking at a time when the ref is talking to TMO or other officials about a serious incident. It’s so annoying not hearing what the ref is saying at that time.
@Yui Knight: Hugh Cahill. Offering his opinion and thoughts on absolutely everything. A stain on rugby.
Id just like to see the “number of phases” in the top left of screen with the score so I can get exited counting the attacking plays. Sometimes you see it, sometimes you don’t…depends on the television channel broadcasting I guess ..
@Stuart: it would just be nice not to see ridiculous Ref/TMO decisions like the failure to award Scotland a perfectly good try versus France last season. Even some of the French players seemed to disagree with the decision, it was so bad!
@Stuart: how has Cameron hanekom not been capped. He’s South Africas best 8. Also wat has happened the great prospect Evan roos. Big decline fall from glory from 4 years ago
@Gary Galligan: henekom played off the bench in last yr autumn internationals against Wales for his first cap. He was injured after the URC final and missed months of rugby…think 2025 we will see a lot of him in green especially for the summer games and r championship . He’s only 22.. he’s going to be a superstar for the boks… Roos has also struggled with injuries, ..he’s not as dynamic as hanekom with ball in hand and teams mark him out of the game with walls of defence around him …I think his biggest problem is discipline and mentality ..I know rassie has spoken to him on where to improve…I’m sure he’ll be back …
@Michael Corkery: agree..
@Stuart: would Doris and van Der flier start for bike right now obviously pstd starts
@Gary Galligan: yes I think so ..today that is …nobody can replace a vermuelen from a few years back .best 8 SA have ever produced in his prime..
@Stuart: vermuelen or read ?
@Stuart: pierre Spires
@damien reidy: great player, massive athletic ball carrier but didn’t have the heart or rugby brain of Duane imo . Also think he only played about 5 years at the top so vermuelen trumps significantly in longevity
@Stuart: i just checked that and couldn’t believe how little he played, but you had such serious options- van nekriek – Vermulelan – Juan smith – ect ect
I meet him in the casino in Perth in 09 and my God it was like a gladiator in the flesh .
@Gary Galligan: when I think of Kieran read I think of that unstoppable all black back row of kaino, read and mcCaw so that for me is probably the best I’ve ever seen. Vermuelen is definitely up there in that echelon though.
@damien reidy: yeah unreal he didn’t play that long …he’s one massive human that’s for sure :)
@Stuart: through bred race horse
@Stuart: I’ve seen a few instances from Roos where he’s acted a bit of a knob. You might be on the money with attitude.
Has anyone else noticed an improvement in refereeing since Mack Hansen spoke up about it? Or is it just me imagining things?
@Rob O’Connor: that was Nika you mean ..
@John Morris: Nika Amashukeli is top notch referee. You can’t compare any improvement if he was involved, he’s in a league of his own.
@Con Cussed: He is a superb operator.
He is the benchmark for others to follow
@Rob O’Connor: There were still plenty of moaners on here last week so no not really, the refereeing for the most part has always been grand just folks looking to be upset at something blowing minor mistakes out of proportion
@Rob O’Connor: plenty of (justified) complaints about the Bath prop Obano getting a second yellow without a warning.
@Con Cussed: Nika Amashukeli, Luke Pearce, and Hollie Davidson are three consistently excellent refs. Top class communication, happy to make decisions quickly, right on nearly all the big calls.
Davidson in particular always finds great balance on letting advantage play out vs blowing things quickly.
People think its easy, but these are seriously skilled operators
Just let the game flow…..no stadium requires binoculars to see the action & the game does not need to be put under the microscope from a horse box…..it’s a game which includes physicality…..
@Stephen McGrath: No doubt those complaining will be pleased to see 20 minute red cards as the norm in the 6N