World Rugby has announced that it will delay making a decision regarding the future implementation of 20-minute red cards, which are currently being tested during the autumn rugby test series.

Referees now have the ability to issue these temporary red cards for minor infractions, while traditional full red cards are utilized for more serious offenses. Players who receive a 20-minute red card are temporarily sent to the sin bin and can be replaced on the field after the designated time has elapsed. Recently, two players, Fiji’s Semi Radradra and Scotland’s Scott Cummings, were each shown a 20-minute red card during matches.

The World Rugby council convened on Thursday and determined that it is premature to establish whether this trial should be solidified as a regulation.

In a public statement, World Rugby expressed that with international matches between teams from different hemispheres just beginning, they deemed it necessary to postpone the evaluation of the 20-minute red card until the end of the autumn nations series. This allows for additional feedback and comprehensive data analysis to be gathered.

The introduction of 20-minute red cards has faced opposition from the rugby federations of France and Ireland, who have raised concerns over potential health risks. In contrast, supporters of the measure, including Wales’ coach Warren Gatland, advocate for its perseverance.

In addition to discussing the 20-minute red card, the council made some regulatory proposals which were approved. These included a 60-second shot clock for conversions that aligns with penalty kicks, a 30-second setup time for lineouts consistent with scrums, allowing play to continue on uncontested lineouts when the throw is not straight, and providing protection for scrumhalves during scrums, rucks, and mauls.

However, two proposals aimed at launching a global trial to allow marks to be called inside the 22 during kickoffs and restarts, as well as a single-stop rule for mauls, failed to garner enough support from the council members.