Sir John Kirwan hits out at countries opposed to 20-minute red card
All Blacks legend Sir John Kirwan and international referee Karl Dickson.
Legendary All Black Sir John Kirwan has expressed his dissatisfaction with the countries who have slammed the adoption of the new 20-minute red card which will be trialled during the upcoming November internationals.
Six Nations Rugby confirmed last week that several law variations and trials will be in place during the Autumn Nations Series, including the controversial 20-minute red card.
The law tweaks come after World Rugby confirmed that several new amendments – including the reduced conversion time and a 30-second limit at the scrum and lineout – will all be in place for the year-end Tests.
20-minute red cards with a tweak to be implemented
The new 20-minute red card was recently trialled in the 2024 Rugby Championship and U20 Championship, and it was confirmed on Friday by Six Nations Rugby that the 20-minute red card will be implemented during the November internationals but the referees will still be able to issue a permanent red card.
In the event that the official issues a 20-minute red card to a player, they will not be able to return to the field but their team will spend 20 minutes with one fewer player on the pitch before the sin-binned player is replaced.
The 20-minute red card minus the option of referees issuing a permanent red card has been used in Super Rugby Pacific since 2023 and Kirwan hit out at countries like France and Ireland who issued statements in which they revealed they do not support the new initiative, with the Irish Rugby Football Union saying “player welfare and safety are paramount to the core values of the game”.
“That is absolutely ridiculous. What really annoys me is I don’t know what they’re doing because France came out, I think Ireland came out,” Kirwan said on The Breakdown.
“I mean, don’t you send someone to World Rugby that votes for you? And to come out and say that the modern rugby player is going to go out and punch someone or kick someone is absolutely ridiculous.
“And if they do that, the ref has the right. The 20-minute red card is for the public, people.
‘It’s about the people that go and watch the game’
“Those that paid $400 to go to the World Cup final and then Sam Cane is sitting in the stand. It’s about the people that go and watch the game. Now you can’t go back on anyway, right? So I just can’t believe they came out.
“And the scrum and lineout clocks was fantastic but I want to see a shot clock. Maybe not music for the NBA because then, you know.”
Kirwan received support from fellow All Blacks legends Jeff Wilson and Mils Muliaina with Wilson saying: “All of these things (the law variations and trials) make sense, right? We all feel as though it’s taking the game forward.”
Kirwan agreed but still slammed those who are in opposition to the 20-minute red card.
“This is amazing. It’s people of our game that come out and say ‘oh no, players are going to get more aggressive’,” he said.
“I mean, the French come out and said ‘oh, people are going to be more aggressive and get away with it’. That’s ridiculous.
“Our game needs to be sped up and our game needs to be more about the people that are paying to go and watch.”
READ MORE: IRFU latest union to oppose 20-minute red card trial which goes against ‘core values’
