‘There’s a reason it’s a red’ – Jake White hits out at controversial 20-minute red cards and offers an alternative solution
Jake White has expressed his opinion on 20-minute red cards.
Bulls director of rugby Jake White felt vindicated after David Kriel’s red card was rescinded but has not put his backing behind the controversial law trial.
During the 2024 Rugby Championship and Super Rugby Pacific seasons, the 20-minute red cards were trialled as was the case in multiple World Rugby tournaments.
The law variation means that while a player is still sent off permanently after committing an offence deemed to reach the red card threshold, they can be replaced by a teammate after a 20-minute period.
After trials in tournaments around the world, World Rugby have recommended that the controversial law be implemented in other tournaments as it nears global and forced implementation.
Six Nations Rugby, the organisation responsible for the Autumn Nations Series, has since confirmed that the 20-minute red card will be trialled during the November Tests this year.
Jake White: “I’m not a fan”
This is despite France and Ireland expressing their opposition to the law. However, there is a caveat as a referee will still be allowed to issue a permanent red card and reduce a team by a player for the remainder of the match.
The Bulls could have benefitted from the law variation in their URC clash against the Ospreys when centre Kriel was given his marching orders after being judged to have led with his forearm. At the time of his dismissal, White’s side were leading 26-5 and they would have that lead cut to 29-19 by full time.
Earlier this week, a URC judiciary panel rescinded Kriel’s red card meaning that he would not be suspended for his actions – a decision that White hailed ahead of this week’s clash against the Scarlets. While he admitted that he would have enjoyed the benefits of the law in that match against the Ospreys, he said that he is “not a fan.”
“Obviously, on Saturday, I would have loved the 20-minute red card because then we could have put someone else in David’s place,” White explained.
“But you’re asking me for my opinion I’m not a fan, I just think that a red card is a red card and now it’ll become is it really red or should it have been red and if it’s 20 minutes then my fear is then we might just give a red and it’s 20 minutes.”
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The Orange card
The Bulls boss did offer a solution, however, in the form of an orange card which is similar to what will be in place with the two red card systems for the internationals in November but he was still not overly convinced that it would improve the game and would make it even more difficult for match officials.
“What we could do is make an orange card, just between a red and a yellow, and it’s 20 minutes and then the red is completely off,” he continued.
“But I’m not a fan I mean a red is a red and there’s a reason it’s a red and there’s a reason why you have to play with one-man short.
“I’ve always said that’s why there was a red card I just think we now make it tougher for the referees now because they must decide if that’s closer to red or close to yellow.
“If it’s closer to red then it’s 20 minutes and if it’s closer to yellow then it’s 10 minutes and I just think it will confuse people even more.
“That’s why I’m complimenting the Judiciary and the way the URC ran this hearing, he [Kirel] got red, got found not guilty and it got rescinded and it was a yellow. We don’t get another bonus point now, that is what it is.
“All that will happen is it’ll just create another problem – it’s not going to take the problem- it’s going to make the problem even bigger.”
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The URC’s position on 20-minute red cards
While the 20-minute red card has been rolled out in the Southern Hemisphere tournaments, it is unlikely to be implemented in the URC sometime soon.
That is according to URC Head of Match Officials Tappe Henning, who addressed the issue earlier this year.
“In the bigger picture, 5.7 per cent of all games in the URC are being impacted by a [potential] 20-minute red card,” he said.
He added: “If we downgrade the red card to only a 20-minute red card, does that serve our concern about players’ health and safety?”
