The new 20-minute red cards rule will be among the rules changes for the 2024 Rugby Championship, which starts this Saturday.
This has been confirmed by the governing body SANZAAR today.
Under the new rule, players sent off after being shown a red card can be replaced by another player 20 minutes later in certain cases.
In a statement, SANZAAR says the rationale is that individual players, not the match, are punished for some red card offences.
They say however, deliberate foul play with a high level of danger will still result in a full red card for the offending player, who can neither return nor be replaced.
Some other rule changes being introduced this season include a countdown clock of 60 seconds for kickers to take conversions and penalties and also forward packs will have 30 seconds to form a scrum or line-out.
The new laws also include extra protection for the scrum-half, who can't be tackled within a metre at the base of a scrum, maul or ruck.
The referee will be allowed to let play continue for a crooked lineout throw under the changes if the defending team does not contest the ball.
SANZAAR says the Rugby Championship is the flagship of the sport in the southern hemisphere and annually we see the best players in the world battle it out for the title.
They say this year's championship, which has been keenly anticipated by the players and rugby fans, will again exhibit the best of what the game has to offer with exciting, tough action on the field, enhanced by the evolution in the laws of the game.
The tournament kicks off with Australia hosting world champions South Africa at 4.30pm Saturday in Brisbane.
Holders New Zealand will then face Argentina in Wellington at 7.05pm Saturday in Wellington.
[Source: rugby.au]
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