6 Nations 2025

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   Six Nations to use 20-minute red cards for first time

 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.

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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.