A shot clock to prevent time-wasting and a “Bunker” review system for upgrading yellow cards to red are among innovations that will be in place for the upcoming Rugby World Cup warm-up matches this summer.
Referees will also wear body cameras – a move being trialled in the Premier League Summer Series – but they will not be used for in-game decisions. Instead they are intended primarily to enhance the television-viewing experience, although the footage may be employed for post-match disciplinary hearings.
Hawk-Eye technology will be in place to act as the independent video replay operator, as part of a wave of new technology in place for the Summer Nations Series, which features 12 international teams and runs over five weekends from 29 July. A shot clock of 90 seconds for conversions and 60 seconds for penalty kicks was trialled in private during the Six Nations this year. Those countdowns will now appear on stadium screens and television broadcasts to help speed up play.
The “Bunker” review system is designed to give officials more support when determining whether an offence warrants a red card. If a referee asks for a second opinion, they can send a player to the sin-bin for 10 minutes, while a “Foul Play Review Officer” watches footage of the incident to determine whether a yellow card will suffice. The player then either returns to the field of play after 10 minutes or is shown a red card.
Television viewers will also benefit from Smart Ball match data, which can measure spin rates, distances covered and speed of travel.
“Bringing the latest technology, processes and rugby-focussed innovations into Six Nations Rugby competitions is a core part of helping drive the collective growth of the game,” said Julie Paterson, Six Nations director of rugby. “Everyone in the game wants to keep developing and pushing new initiatives.”
