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6 Nations 2025
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Steve@Mose View Drop Down
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Joined: 01 Jun 2007
Location: United Kingdom
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Points: 2928 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Steve@Mose Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10 hours 22 minutes ago at 09:33
Six Nations to use 20-minute red cards for first time

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This year's Six Nations will use 20-minute red cards for the first time.

The trial was in place for the Autumn Nations Cup in November and has been extended to this year's men's, women's and Under-20s Championships.

Lawmakers say the 20-minute red card is designed to "punish the player and not the team", with sides able to replace a dismissed player after 20 minutes.

The men's Six Nations starts on Friday, 31 January with France hosting Wales in Paris.

While referees are still able to award a full and permanent red card for "deliberate and dangerous acts of foul play", the 20-minute red card constitutes a major change to rugby union's disciplinary process.

...

Meanwhile, the release of the fixtures for the 2026 Championship has been pushed back as discussions continue over a new broadcast deal, with the current tie-up with BBC and ITV expiring this year.

Conversations are ongoing with broadcasters as the Six Nations and its unions balance up the extensive reach of free-to-air partners with the revenues they can offer, with sources close to the situation stressing all options are being explored.

A revamped fixture schedule, with more evening kick-offs, is on the table with the Six Nations prepared to adapt to the preferences of broadcasters.

A "Super Saturday" taking place every weekend of the men's Championship has also been discussed, while Six Nations bosses are also keen to limit overlaps with other key sporting events.

From next year, the tournament will be cut from seven weeks to six weeks, with just one rest week rather than two.

This will probably result in a block of three games at the start of the Championship, then a break week before the tournament concludes on back-to-back weekends at the start of March.
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Mark W-J View Drop Down
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Joined: 22 May 2007
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Points: 3716 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote Mark W-J Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 8 hours 50 minutes ago at 11:05
Have to say I'm not a fan of the 20 minute red card.  People say that red cards ruin games, but I didn't think that the World Cup final nor last year's Premiership final suffered as a result of one side losing a player in the first half.  And while the permanent red card is still an option, I feel that the team of officials will always err on the side of caution - much like referees refer contentious decisions to the bunker rather than making a split-second on-field decision in case it 'ruins the game', they are now inclined towards the 20 minute red instead of the full dismissal.

An example from the autumn was where Semi Radradra received a 20 minute red which was retrospectively upgraded and he got a three week ban.  Surely at that point the review bunker has to be working behind the scenes to make sure that the correct decision is reached by the on-field referee - although that only applies in Tier 1 internationals and top-flight games, and won't work if the 20-minute red is implemented in the Championship and National Leagues or the tier 2 international competitions.
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