BBC Sport report that a New Zealand club rugby tournament will allow red carded players to be replaced 20 minutes after they have been sent off in New Zealand’s new Super Rugby tournament.
The tournament will begin on June 13th after getting approval from the relevant authorities that it can go ahead. It will feature the country’s five Super rugby sides in a mini domestic series. The games will be played behind closed doors. New Zealand’s head of profesional rugby Chris Lendrum said “Paying rugby fans, players and coaches want to see a fair contest,”. He continued, “Replacing a player after 20 minutes strikes the right balance.”
Furthermore, rules have also been changed at the breakdown. Rules will now see both ball carriers to play the ball and tacklers to move away quicker. Stuff.co.nz say that the red card will work that when a player is sent from the field. The affected team has to allow 20 minutes before making a replacement. They state “The red carded player can’t return and will still face a judical process”.
Another new rule in the new mini league named Super Rugby Aotearoa is “golden point”. This will basically determine a winner if scores are tied after 80 minutes. The first team to score a drop goal, penalty goal or try will be deemed the winner. The period will 10 added minutes extra time. Mr Lendrum said, “The first team to score – by drop goal, penalty goal, or try – during a 10-minute period of extra time will win the game and remove the prospect of “feeling a little empty”.
He said he wanted to make the competition look and feel different. Mr Lendrum also said that there was great support from all the clubs,coaches, players and referees to make the Super Rugby Aotearoa tournament faster and more exciting than ever before.
