In recent years, conversations surrounding sin bins, red cards and law changes has swamped the game of rugby. Each season, new laws seem to be applied often leaving supporters confused at the framework and application, and now there is a new rule for fans to get their head around.
The law has actually been trialed several times before, including in Super Rugby tournaments since 2020 and last year’s Rugby Championship.
The adaptation put in place will mean that red carded players will be replaced after 20 minutes. It is often referred to as the ’20 minute red card rule’.
🟥 @SanzarTRC has announced that the 20 minute red card law trial will be used in the Castle Lager Rugby Championship – more here: https://t.co/Cmnl4gAOfy pic.twitter.com/oU05PSncXX
— Springboks (@Springboks) July 28, 2022
The governing body of The Rugby Championship, Sanzaar said the trail aims “To gather the necessary information that allows the 20-minute red card trial to be accepted into the full laws of the game in the future”
Sanzaar believes that the 20 minute red card rule will be a significant deterrent “To deliberate acts of foul play, while it also protects the contest of fifteen on fifteen, which is what our unions, broadcasters and fans are telling us is important”.
Despite this being the fifth time the law has been trialed, it is still unlikely it will make a permanent change in world rugby as the Northern Hemisphere have never experienced the new rule modification.
Either way, the whole rugby community will be watching the Rugby Championship with great interest to see how the law affects play.
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