The RFU’s leadership would be prepared to support a radical change to red cards if trials in the southern hemisphere are deemed successful, according to The Times.
The proposed 20-minute red card law, which is being used in Super Rugby Pacific in Australia and New Zealand, allows a player who has been sent off to be replaced by a substitute after 20 minutes.
Popular former referee Nigel Owens is not a fan of the proposed change
He said: “I think as coaches and players, if you knew you were going to be playing a game for 79 minutes with 14 men, you’re going to want to get this message across to your players much more to not to let this happen.
“Whereas if you knew you were only going to be playing 20 minutes with 14 men, because for the next 60 minutes you know you’ll be back up to the full 15 (if they introduced the 20-minute red card), then maybe you won’t be pressing that message home as much.?
The Welshman has instead singled out four other changes to improve rugby.
Nigel Owens demands four changes as current laws ARE NOT working
#1. New law needs changing
Although happy with the recently introduced 50:22 and brake foot laws, Owens isn’t happy with one recent change.
“The goal-line drop-out when you touch down inside your own in-goal area actually means you have to give the ball back to the team that has kicked beyond the goal line.
“I think we might see more kicking because the goal line drop out is more of a disadvantage to the defending team – we should go back to 22m drop-outs.
“It was designed to stop teams trying to bludgeon over the ball and force repeated 5m scrums but it hasn’t had any positive impact.”