IRFU 'still considering' position on proposed 20-minute red card trial

The IRFU says it is still considering its position around the proposed trial of a 20-minute red card at elite levels of rugby.

A series of law changes are to be put forward for trials at a World Rugby Council meeting next month, with one of those being the controversial 20-minute red card.

Under the law variation, a red-carded player can be replaced by a substitute after a gap of 20 minutes.

Last week, World Rugby said the initiative was "supported for further elite game trialling after successful initial trials". It was previously trialed in the Pro14 Rainbow Cup in 2021, while this summer it was also used in closed trials at the Rugby Championship and World Rugby U20 Championship.

Irish rugby bosses are yet to confirm their stance on the proposed trial law. When contacted by RTÉ Sport, an IRFU spokesperson said the union is "still considering" its position.

It comes after French rugby chiefs condemned the proposal saying it could encourage more aggressive play and expose players to greater risk of injury.

The French Rugby Federation (FFR), National Rugby League (LNR) and players' union (Provale) issued a joint statement on Monday making it clear that they would firmly oppose the move.

"The red card is an essential tool to deter dangerous behaviour on the field and guarantee the safety of our players," said FFR Vice-President Jean-Marc Lhermet.

"Reducing this sanction to a temporary exclusion of 20 minutes would weaken our ability to protect the physical integrity of athletes and to maintain fair play, fundamental values of rugby.

"We call on World Rugby to reconsider this experiment, ensuring that any decision is based on concrete and convincing data, which is not the case today."

The statement said that the previous trials were