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Wales Online
22-05-2025
- Sport
- Wales Online
Tonight's rugby news as Lions tour hit by World Rugby bombshell and Welsh coach admits he didn't know players' names
Tonight's rugby news as Lions tour hit by World Rugby bombshell and Welsh coach admits he didn't know players' names The latest headlines from Wales and around the world This summer's British & Irish Lions tour is set to feature a controversial law (Image:) These are your evening rugby headlines on Thursday, May 22. Lions tour hit by red card bombshell World Rugby have confirmed that the controversial 20-minute red card will be used in all elite competitions from later this year after it was approved for a global trial. It will come into force globally from August 1, with the governing body confirming that it will be in operation for both the Women's Rugby World Cup and World Rugby U20 Championship, while it is also set to be used during this summer's British & Irish Lions tour of Australia, according to World Rugby-owned RugbyPass The law, which allows teams to replace a red-carded player after 20 minutes has elapsed, has divided opinion across the rugby world since it was first trialled on the international stage in the autumn. Ireland and France are among the top nations to publicly hit out at the law, with those calling for it to be scrapped claiming it undermines player welfare and does not provide an effective deterrent against dangerous tackling. Sign up to Inside Welsh rugby on Substack to get exclusive news stories and insight from behind the scenes in Welsh rugby. However, World Rugby chair Brett Robinson says the law "preserves the fairness and drama" of rugby by not punishing teams for the whole game or making contests too one-sided. 'Our mission is to ensure rugby is a compelling sport to play and watch," he said. "The 20-minute red card preserves the fairness and drama of elite competition by punishing the individual, not the entire team or the spectacle. Article continues below 'Player welfare is non-negotiable. We monitor data around head injuries, tackle height, and concussion rigorously – and transparently. If evidence ever indicated this trial posed greater risk, we would end it immediately.' However, World Rugby also confirmed that referees will still be able to issue a full and permanent red card for any foul play considered deliberate and highly dangerous. Two yellow cards, however, will result in a 20-minute red card being shown, unless the second yellow card offence in itself meets the requirements for a full red card. Welsh coach admits he didn't know players' names Wales scrum coach Adam Jones has admitted he initially didn't know the names of some of the squad when he came into camp for the first time ahead of this year's Six Nations. The legendary prop was brought in by Warren Gatland ahead of the tournament to act as a scrum consultant, on secondment from Harlequins. While he went back to the Gallagher Premiership side following the culmination of the Six Nations campaign, he has now returned to the Wales set-up for the summer tour of Japan as part of Matt Sherratt's team. While he is now up to speed with the squad - and even recommending players to be called up - Jones admits that when he first arrived in camp, he was unfamiliar with "a lot of the players" he was brought in to work with. Appearing on the latest episode of The Overlap's Stick To Rugby podcast, the three-time Grand Slam winner said: 'I wouldn't say I had watched a lot of the URC. 'A lot of the players, the backs coming, I was having to ask: 'What's his name?' I coach in the Premiership, so I don't see a lot of it. I went in with a clean slate." However, after getting to know the squad a bit better, Jones was impressed by the mentality on display amongst the players. "What I did find out straight away is that, they are young, but the main thing is, and this is a phrase Jerry Flannery used to say all the time: 'You can tell the Welsh boys care'," he said. 'They do care, and that is the main thing I took out of it. They are tough, they are not the biggest anymore, but they care, they're tough, we've got to build something around that as well. "We're never going to have the biggest players, you're never going to have a 150kg right-hand lock or a 160kg tight-head prop, unless you want to pick me again! 'That mentality of the Welsh - never know you're beaten, they'll fight to the end," he added. "That's the one thing I saw straight away.' Springbok banned after hit on Cardiff star Springboks star Damian Willemse will miss the Stormer's URC quarter-final against Glasgow after being handed a three-match ban. The full-back was sent off during the South African side's win over Cardiff in Cape Town on Friday, following a high hit on wing Gabriel Hamer-Webb shortly before the hour mark. The 27-year-old accepted he had committed an act of foul play and a red card offence and he was given a six-match suspension, which was then reduced to three due to his good disciplinary record. If he agrees to attend World Rugby's Coaching Intervention Programme - also known as 'tackle school' - Willemse's suspension will be reduced by one week. As a result, he will miss the Stormers' quarter-final clash against Glasgow next weekend, as well as their semi-final match if they make it through. If they are knocked out in the quarter-finals, however, Willemse will instead miss South Africa's uncapped match against the Barbarians in June. Pollock tipped to shine with Lions By Duncan Bech, PA England Rugby Correspondent Henry Pollock is being backed by England boss Steve Borthwick to continue his startling breakthrough season by becoming a Test British and Irish Lion this summer. Pollock won his only England cap against Wales in the final match of the Six Nations but that Cardiff cameo and some rampaging displays for Northampton in Europe have propelled him into Andy Farrell's squad for Australia. Still only 20, the high-energy flanker is one of the most exciting talents in English rugby and Borthwick believes his remarkable career trajectory could produce an appearance against the Wallabies. 'Nobody would bet against it. What struck us is that each and every level he steps up to, he really embraces that challenge,' Borthwick said. 'I sense he's somebody who just jumps all into it and doesn't contemplate it too much. Simply jumps into it and embraces the contest. And I expect him to do the same again this summer. 'Look at how quickly he's grown from being at our Six Nations training camp, then playing a couple of games with the Under-20s, to then joining our training camp again and playing at the end of the Six Nations. 'The form he's shown for Northampton since then – and in some of the biggest games – has been brilliant. He's clearly an incredibly talented player who just loves the challenge.' While Pollock will have responsibility for looking after the Lions' cuddly toy mascot 'BIL' for the entire tour due to being the squad's youngest player, another England forward will head Down Under as the first amongst equals. Maro Itoje has been placed in charge of the Lions for the 10-match itinerary that opens against Argentina in Dublin on June 20 – and Borthwick believes he will lead by example. 'I always remember an interview with Martin Johnson after 2003 and they were asking him 'what's the most important thing for a captain to do?'' said Borthwick in reference to England's World Cup-winning skipper, who also led the Lions in 1997 and 2001. Article continues below 'And in the typical Johnno way, with very few words, he replied: 'play well'. That's exactly what Maro does. 'Each and every week he plays 80 minutes of every contest. He's exceptional. That's the kind of role model you want as a captain. He also understands the game really well.'
22-05-2025
- Sport
When is the next Rugby World Cup draw?
The Springboks' planning for their World Cup title defence in 2027 is already well under way, with South Africa currently enjoying a healthy rankings gap of 2.42 points ahead of second-placed New Zealand, while they are 2.95 points clear of third-placed Ireland. Maintaining a position of strength will be more important than ever by the time this season comes to an end. The draw for the expanded 24-team 2027 World Cup is set to take place in December, and so the rankings then will be used to determine the top seeds for the draw. It's already been confirmed that next Rugby World Cup will feature 24 teams in an expanded format, with all qualifiers taking place in 2025 as teams worldwide compete in a series of regional qualifiers, each striving to secure one of the 12 available places. For the first time in the in the professional era, the men's pool draw will take place with all 24 participating teams confirmed. Scheduled for December 2025, the draw will be based on the World Rugby Men's Rankings at the end of the November international window. This approach ensures a more accurate and up-to-date seeding process and adds significant weight to every international test match played in the remainder of the calendar year. World Rugby Chair Brett Robinson said: 'As we head towards the most inclusive and globally representative tournament ever, with 24 teams competing in an expanded format and at least one nation from each of our regional associations, this final step on the 'Journey to Australia 2027' will be a celebration of ambition, resilience and the global spirit of rugby. 'We cannot wait to see which team earns the final place and joins us for what promises to be a unique celebration of rugby and Australia in 2027.' Rugby World Cup 2027 will be the first edition to feature an expanded format with 24 teams, a new round of 16 and increasing the number of matches to 52. 28 June: vs Barbarians, DHL Stadium, Cape Town. Kick off: 17:05. 5 July: vs Italy, Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria. Kick off: 17:10. 12 July: vs Italy, Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Gqeberha. Kick off: 17:10. 19 July: vs Georgia, Mbombela Stadium, Nelspruit. Kick off: 17:10. 16 August: vs Australia, Ellis Park, Johannesburg. Kick off: 17:10. 23 August: vs Australia, DHL Stadium, Cape Town. Kick off: 17:10. 6 September: vs New Zealand, Auckland. Kick off: 09:05. 13 September: vs New Zealand, Wellington. Kick off: 09:05. 27 September: vs Argentina, Kings Park, Durban. Kick off: 17:10. 4 October: vs Argentina, London. Kick off: 15:00. 8 November: vs France, Paris. Kick off: TBD. 15 November: vs Italy, Turin. Kick off: TBD. 22 November: vs Ireland, Dublin. Kick off: 19:40. 29 November: vs Wales, Cardiff. Kick off: 17:10. *SA Rugby are working on adding two more Tests for the Springboks, likely to be against Japan and Portug Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 0211. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news. Meanwhile, here is an important reminder on ticket sales for the Springbok men's game against Argentina in the Rugby Championship at Twickenham in October. Ticket sales Tickets are on sale via and England Rugby, starting from just £55* for adults and £28* for Under-16s. (*booking fees apply)
Daily Maverick
22-05-2025
- Sport
- Daily Maverick
Foul play enabler or deterrent? Rugby's 20-minute red card rule set to be made law
The move to permanently implementing a 20-minute red card in all rugby accelerated this week. The 20-minute red card, one of the most hotly debated topics in rugby, moved forward this week after World Rugby's Council announced that the system was here to stay for the foreseeable future. After being trialled in a 'closed' environment — meaning specific tournaments and competitions — the Council approved the use of a 'global' trial in all 'elite competitions' starting with the World Rugby U20 Championships in June. All elite rugby, including this year's British & Irish Lions series in Australia, will be played with a 20-minute red card, as will the women's World Cup in England later this year. The 'Global Trial Law', as it will be known, is the final step before the system will be fully implemented and added to the laws — pending a final approval by the Council. 'The 20-minute red card aims to maintain the spectacle and competitive integrity of elite matches, while upholding rugby's unwavering commitment to player welfare,' World Rugby said 'The trial will operate in all elite competitions ahead of a final decision on permanent adoption in 2026. Under this trial, a player who commits foul play that is not deemed deliberate or intentional will receive a red card and be permanently removed from the game. 'However, their team may return to a full complement after 20 minutes by bringing on one of their available replacements. This ensures that individual players — not the contest as a whole — bear the consequence of reckless actions.' For players who commit deliberate acts of foul play, such as punching an opponent, and are red-carded, the team will not be able to send on a replacement at all. Two yellow cards for foul play will also constitute a red card, and a replacement will be allowed. Unless the second offence meets the threshold of a red card. World Rugby Chair Brett Robinson said: 'Our mission is to ensure rugby is a compelling sport to play and watch. The 20-minute red card preserves the fairness and drama of elite competition by punishing the individual, not the entire team or the spectacle. 'Player welfare is non-negotiable. We monitor data around head injuries, tackle height, and concussion rigorously — and transparently. If evidence ever indicated this trial posed greater risk, we would end it immediately.' Closed trial success The fact that the system has moved to a global trial suggests that the data from the closed trial system, which was implemented in specific tournaments and competitions, has been favourably viewed. Robinson has alluded to the fact that the data, at the very least, has not shown an increase in dangerous play. Once it went to closed trial though, it would have required a complete failure not to advance to the next step of undergoing a global trial. World Rugby's stated ambition with the implementation of a 20-minute red card was a 'reimagining of rugby's entertainment factor as part of a wider mission to grow audience share over the next decade'. Could the race to grow the sport's audience be a factor in lessening the punishment for foul play? The 20-minute red card, among other lesser proposals, had their genesis in World Rugby's 'Shape of the Game' forum that was held in February 2024. Sanzaar, the body that governs rugby in the southern hemisphere, adopted the 20-minute red card policy in Super Rugby in 2021. The system was also implemented in The Rugby Championship in 2022 and has been in place since. Critics have argued that being lenient on head contact and injuries by allowing a replacement player after 20 minutes, will not make the game safer. But as ever, it's a juggling act between maintaining the integrity of the contest while balancing player welfare needs. In the modern game, with more emphasis on lowering tackle heights and more camera angles to observe play, dangerous tackles are seldom the result of outright thuggery. In many cases they are accidental, or at worst, a case of poor technique rather than malice. Should a match be spoiled if a player makes a genuine error? How often have we seen a ball carrier change height in a split second before a tackle is made, resulting in head contact? Giving the referees some leeway through the red card appears to be sensible. Enhancer or deterrent? The position can be understood through the prism of commercial value. Games where one player is sent off in the first minute (or later), are unquestionably marred as a spectacle. That has consequences for fans, broadcasters, and sponsors who spend money on the 'product'. By introducing the 20-minute red card, World Rugby is attempting to mitigate the impact on the game. Red cards almost exclusively stem from foul play. There are two major concepts at play here: punishment and behavioural change. The 20-minute red card is certainly a punishment. Playing a quarter of the match with 14 men in a tight Test match is no small matter. If the red-carded player is the team's most vital performer, it's an additional punishment. So, on the face of it, the 20-minute red card will act as a deterrent anyway, because it is a severe punishment. But is a 20-minute red card enough of a deterrent to change behaviour? Most head collisions in the tackle situation are the result of poor technique by the tackler. Leading with the head or being too upright in the tackle are the major reasons for head contact and resultant red cards. But if the tackler is under instruction to stay upright and attack the ball in the carrier's arms to prevent an offload, that fault must be on the coach. The chances of head collisions are greater if the tackler is upright and/or leading with his head. That's indisputable. If the risk of employing this technique is possibly playing an entire game with 14 men, the coach might rethink his strategy. If the consequence is less severe — 20 minutes in the sin bin — the coach might deem the risk acceptable and therefore behavioural change would not happen. DM
Irish Examiner
22-05-2025
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
Controversial 20-minute red card will apply across professional rugby
Rugby's controversial 20-minute red card will be applied in all professional competitions next season after the World Rugby Council approved the measure for a global trial. The rule was trialled in this year's Six Nations, with Garry Ringrose receiving the first 20-minute punishment for an accidental clash of heads in the game against Wales. The 20-minute punishment applies to foul play that the match officials don't see as 'deliberate or intentional'. The offending player is sent off for the remainder of the game, as usual, but can be replaced by a substitute after 20 minutes. French rugby led opposition to the rule, fearing it may encourage more aggressive play and expose players to injury. The IRFU also voiced reservations about the rule last October. World Rugby say the rule helps preserve the spectacle of rugby for spectators, ensuring that "individual players – not the contest as a whole – bear the consequence of reckless actions". It adds: "Importantly, referees retain the authority to issue a full and permanent red card for any foul play considered deliberate and highly dangerous. Two yellow cards will constitute a 20-minute red card, unless the second offence meets the threshold for a full red card." The rule will take effect from the U20 World Championships in June and will apply in the Women's World Cup in August. It remains to be seen if it will be used during the Lions series in Australia. It is up to the Lions and the Wallabies to apply for the rule to be in force. A global law trial is the final step before any trial law becomes a full law of the game subject to Council approval. World Rugby Chair Brett Robinson said: 'Our mission is to ensure rugby is a compelling sport to play and watch. The 20-minute red card preserves the fairness and drama of elite competition by punishing the individual, not the entire team or the spectacle. 'Player welfare is non-negotiable. We monitor data around head injuries, tackle height, and concussion rigorously – and transparently. If evidence ever indicated this trial posed greater risk, we would end it immediately.' The Council also approved a measure so that from 2025, all law trials in the men's game will begin on August 1 each year, ensuring that all international matches are played under the same set of law and trials regardless of where in the world they are played. Meanwhile, the draw for the 2027 Rugby World Cup will take place next December. With World Rugby rankings set to determine how teams are seeded in the draw, Ireland's autumn internationals against New Zealand, Japan, Australia, and South Africa will have a bearing on their draw placing - as well as the summer fixtures with Georgia and Portugal. Elsewhere, the Barbarians have announced that Peter O'Mahony and Conor Murray will feature in the June 28th meeting with South Africa in Cape Town.
The Citizen
22-05-2025
- Sport
- The Citizen
20-minute red card trial gets green light
The World Rugby Council has approved the global trial of the 20-minute red card in elite competitions. This decision follows an extensive review of successful closed trials conducted in international and elite club rugby over the past year. World Rugby said the 20-minute red card aims to maintain the spectacle and competitive integrity of elite matches, while upholding rugby's unwavering commitment to player welfare. The trial will operate in all elite competitions ahead of a final decision on permanent adoption in 2026. Under this trial, a player who commits foul play that is not deemed deliberate or intentional will receive a red card and be permanently removed from the game. However, their team may return to a full complement after 20 minutes by bringing on one of their available replacements. This ensures that individual players – not the contest as a whole – bear the consequence of reckless actions. Importantly, referees retain the authority to issue a full and permanent red card for any foul play considered deliberate and highly dangerous. Two yellow cards will constitute a 20-minute red card, unless the second offence meets the threshold for a full red card. The 20-minute red card will join the suite of global law trials already in effect and will make its world cup debut at the women's event in England this August, as well as being used in the U20 Championship in June. 'Our mission is to ensure rugby is a compelling sport to play and watch,' said World Rugby chairman Brett Robinson. 'The 20-minute red card preserves the fairness and drama of elite competition by punishing the individual, not the entire team or the spectacle. 'Player welfare is non-negotiable. We monitor data around head injuries, tackle height, and concussion rigorously – and transparently. If evidence ever indicated this trial posed greater risk, we would end it immediately.' ALSO: France red cards World Rugby's plans In other measures, the World Rugby Council approved a closed trial of a centralised disciplinary process, allowing for quicker and more consistent decision making. The council also approved a measure so that from 2025, all law trials in the men's game will begin on August 1 each year, ensuring that all international matches are played under the same set of law and trials regardless of where in the world they are played. The post 20-minute red card gets green light appeared first on SA Rugby magazine. Breaking news at your fingertips… Follow Caxton Network News on Facebook and join our WhatsApp channel. Nuus wat saakmaak. Volg Caxton Netwerk-nuus op Facebook en sluit aan by ons WhatsApp-kanaal.
