'I just don't understand!' - Welsh rugby bosses deliver verdict on controversial red card trial

Welsh rugby bosses have urged caution over the red card law trial that has been used in the southern hemisphere this season.

World Rugby have called for more leagues around the globe to adopt the project, which sees a sent off player replaced by a substitute after 20 minutes, so they can gather more data about the impact it has on the sport. Supporters of the new law believe it prevents matches being ruined as a spectacle, while detractors warn that it sends the wrong message over foul play.

The debate comes at a time when red cards, particularly for dangerous tackles, are becoming far more prevalent. United Rugby Championship head of officials Tappe Henning, meanwhile, seemed to be open to the idea of a trial, saying: "I believe we will get to an appropriate solution to protect our 80 minutes of rugby. We need to do a lot of research to come up with the best outcome. But I am big supporter of protecting 15 against 15 in some form of a decision about red cards."

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Those at the top of the game in Wales, though, were not so convinced.

Dragons boss Dean Ryan said: “I am old fashioned and if the consequences deserve red then the team deserves the penalty of going without a player. I think we are finding lots of reasons to try and mitigate everything down and we are in real danger of not managing the behaviour that red cards are there to deal with.

"At a time when player safety has probably never been clearer in our minds, I don’t understand why we are trying to mitigate a red card to not punish a team. I just don’t understand it. My reaction is the red card is there to penalise the team for an individual’s actions. To come back to 15 after 20 minutes, I just don’t