The aftermath of England fullback Freddie Steward’s contentious red card during the 2023 Six Nations continues to reverberate, with discussions now underway for the introduction of an ‘Orange card’ review system at the upcoming Rugby World Cup, hosted by France this autumn.
The ‘Orange card’ system, a variation of the yellow card review system currently being trialled in Super Rugby Pacific, could be fast-tracked into the global showcase event.
Under this system, while players can still receive a red card for instances of foul play, referees have the option to show a yellow card that can be upgraded to red upon review by the Television Match Official (TMO).
The main objective of this initiative is to expedite the pace of the game by reducing the need for on-field replays of incidents, while also addressing contentious decisions such as the dismissal of Steward during England’s match against Ireland last month.
The introduction of the ‘Orange card’ system is seen as a potential solution to balance the need for player safety with the desire to keep the game flowing smoothly.
“This is an operation being tested in Super Rugby,” World Rugby’s Joel Jutge told Midi Olympique.
“In the event of a 50-50 decision, the referee has the possibility of giving a yellow card so that the game can resume as soon as possible, while the TMO has 10 minutes of temporary expulsion to decide whether this should be turned into a permanent expulsion.
“We would give orange cards, clearly.”
With the final decision yet to be made, rugby fans and players alike eagerly await the outcome of these discussions and the potential impact of the ‘Orange card’ system on the upcoming Rugby World Cup.
“Horror draw” – England get pool of death in revised World Cup draw
The recently released World Rugby Rankings highlight the absurdity of the Pool Draw for the upcoming Rugby World Cup 2023, which was determined three years in advance and appears to be heavily skewed.
In response to criticism, World Rugby has announced that future pool draws for the Rugby World Cup will be conducted closer to the start of the tournament, as the current practice of relying on team rankings at the time of the draw is deemed unfair.
As a result, the guys over at Eggchasers Rugby put together their own drawer the 2023 tournament based on the current World Rugby rankings.
Concentrating on only the top 10 countries in the world, it looks significant.
It was very different with England handed a much sterner test in their pool. Watch the full video here.
POOL A actual draw:
- France
- New Zealand
POOL A up to date draw
- France
- Australia