Latest news with #WorldRugbyU20Championships
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
Daily Maverick
02-05-2025
- Sport
- Daily Maverick
Rugby Championship U20 provides a platform for sides to iron out set piece problems
The opening round of the Rugby Championship U20 in Gqeberha underlined that at this level the southern hemisphere has some work to do. None of the 9,000 people that were at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Gqeberha for the opening round of the 2025 Rugby Championship U20 could complain about the entertainment value of what they saw Two tight games on day one, dotted with great tries as the best junior internationals from Argentina, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa took each other on, was a good afternoon out. New Zealand and Australia played to a thrilling 29-29 draw, and South Africa rallied in the second half to overcome a game Argentina 36-25. There was lots to admire. New Zealand only landed one of four kicks at goal, something they were left to rue as the young Wallabies finished strongly with a late try to share the spoils. Australia skipper Eamon Doyle is a bruising lock who carried with never-ending intensity and purpose and did crucial work in the final moments that led to the game-tying score by No 8 Beau Morrison. New Zealand wing Maloni Kunawave looks like another gem off their never-ending production line as he helped himself to two tries. In the day's other game Argentina had some fine players to keep an eye on. Flyhalf Rafael Benedit is a wonderful goal-kicker with a natural, easy kicking style that will see him score thousands of points if he has a long career. For South Africa, hard-working lock JJ Theron looks to be another bruiser with skill, while electric wing Cheswill Jooste is a real talent. The hosts were 20-15 down at the break, and following a try by Argentina shortly after the restart the visitors took a 10-point lead, but the Junior Boks fought back with three converted tries without conceding another. Afterwards, coach Kevin Foote praised his team's resilience and leadership, acknowledging the initial nerves and the challenge of adapting to the slippery conditions. 'One of our biggest strengths is our leadership, and after half time, when they scored quickly, the guys didn't drop their heads,' said Foote. 'The guys adapted really well after half time and a lot of credit has to go to the leadership group and their ability to maintain confidence and belief, and go back to what we knew was going to work, playing a territory-based game and putting pressure on their opponents in their own half.' While this tournament is a much-needed competition before the World Rugby U20 Championships later this year, the standard needs to go up a few notches if any of these sides hopes to win the global title. Northern dominance The northern hemisphere, particularly France, has dominated the Junior 'World Cup' since 2018 and their stranglehold won't easily be relaxed. For one simple reason — set piece. Based on the evidence of day one at the U20 Rugby Championships, the set pieces from all sides were mediocre at best. France have won three of the last four World Championships, while England won the other (two years were lost to Covid-19). Ireland have been in the final once, with England losing two finals and France one. It's been virtually complete northern hemisphere dominance for six years. And it's down to better set piece work, which in turn creates a better platform for excellent backs. Argentina actually dominated the lineouts and scrums against South Africa but lost due to the Junior Boks being more clinical with the ball they had. Neither Australia nor New Zealand appeared to have a strong set piece with both sides battling at differing moments. To beat France, England and even Ireland at age group level, the southern hemisphere teams will need to shore up their tight work. Foote admitted his team's set piece needs work. 'Argentina are renowned for their defensive set piece, and for us things perhaps did not go our way in the lineouts and scrums,' Foote said after the match. 'However, when we got the ball over the 15-metre line we mauled quite well to put them under pressure. 'I also thought our team's defensive efforts and their ability to scramble effectively during line breaks were impressive.' That may be so, but it won't be enough at the World Championships. This tournament at least gives the three southern hemisphere sides a fighting chance because they have live game scenarios to work on their shortcomings. DM
