20-minute red card will not feature at the Rugby World Cup

Contrary to recent reports, the law variation dubbed the ’20-minute red card’ will not feature at the Rugby World Cup in France later this year.

In recent weeks, there have been several media reports and speculation on social media regarding the potential implementation of a 20-minute red card law at the upcoming Rugby World Cup.

This law variation, also known as the “orange card,” allows a dismissed player to be strategically replaced by a substitute after 20 minutes. However, World Rugby has officially confirmed that this law will not be introduced at the prestigious tournament later this year.

The concept of the 20-minute red card emerged as part of a trial during the Super Rugby competition, aiming to address the balance between player discipline and ensuring teams aren’t unduly disadvantaged by an early red card. During the trial, a player shown a red card for foul play could be temporarily replaced by a substitute after spending 20 minutes off the field. This tactical substitution sought to provide a compromise between maintaining a competitive contest and penalising serious breaches of the game’s laws.

While the trial generated both interest and debate, it will not be extended to the Rugby World Cup.

Furthermore, the 20-minute red card rule was not trialed at the recent World Rugby U20s Championship held in South Africa.