Orange cards could be used by referees at this year’s World Cup in a bid to stop recent controversies that have blighted rugby, it has been confirmed.
The notion of upgrading yellow cards to red cards during matches has already been touted, following a trial in Super Rugby Pacific. It might also be trialled in the Rugby Championship later this year.
And now World Rugby’s head of match officials, Joel Jutge, has revealed they are considering the use of a system to review contentious yellow cards during the tournament in France - with an orange card being used to differentiate.
Speaking to French newspaper Midi Olympique, Jutge said: "This is an operation being tested in Super Rugby. 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."
The southern hemisphere trials have involved a temporary 20-minute red card, but any version used at the World Cup would still be a permanent sending-off.
The orange cards would allow borderline decisions to be reviewed while the match was still ongoing, with a second television match official looking over footage to assess whether the player can return, or if the card should be upgraded to red.
It's clear that the sport's governing body is keen to avoid a repeat of the episode involving England full-back Freddie Steward during the Six Nations. Steward was sent off by Jaco Peyper during England’s final Six Nations game against Ireland after he had collided with Irish full-back Hugo Keenan.
The dismissal was met with a backlash and, days later, the decision was overturned.
Something similar happened recently in the Champions Cup, with Montpellier's Zach Mercer sent off for a high tackle on Exeter and Wales back-row Christ Tshiunza - only for the card to be rescinded.
Jutge added that, even with an orange card, things won't be perfect.
"We will continue to work hard to ensure there are as few mistakes as possible, like the red card Zach Mercer received with Montpellier," he added. "But during the World Cup, these kinds of issues will arise."
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