The law variations have been introduced by the ANS organisers Six Nations Rugby and have been selected from a wider package of opt-in law variations introduced by World Rugby in May this year.
A number of these closed law trials have already been tested across various rugby competitions, including The Rugby Championship, World Rugby’s U20 Championship, and the Pacific Nations Cup.
Wales face the Pacific Nations Cup winners Fiji at Principality Stadium in the first of their three fixtures next month on Sunday 10 November. They entertain Australia a week later on Sunday 17 November before hosting the World Cup and Rugby Championship winners South Africa on Saturday 23 November.
The law trials will include:
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A variation on the 20-minute red card is one of the law trials set to appear in the November fixtures, with referees retaining the ability to award a permanent red card for deliberate and dangerous offences
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Scrum and Lineout countdown clocks are both intended to reduce stoppage
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Referees will go ‘On Mic’ at points within games to explain decisions for fans in stadia and watching at home
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The Instrumented Mouthguard program will be in operation, providing continuity to the players throughout their season.
There will be 14 nations taking part in the annual North v South hemisphere series of fixtures and will involve 21 matches from 2 – 30 November
The introduction of the law trials has been driven by a game wide commitment to enhance the spectacle for fans, alongside the ambition to simplify the game in key areas. Player safety and welfare standards are also at the heart of the trials.
20-Minute Red Card variation for technical offencesÂ
Referees will retain the ability to award a permanent red card for foul play, deemed to be deliberate and dangerous. However, this November, referees will have the option to award a 20-minute red card for technical offences. This variation on the law trial will run throughout the Autumn Nation Series and differs to the standalone 20-minute red card proposal due to be discussed by the wider game later this year.
The red-card variation ensures that players deemed to commit deliberate, and dangerous offences receive the full sanctioning, and subsequent disciplinary process, with the team being reduced to 14 men for the remainder of the game.
The 20-Minute Red Card element will relate to an act of foul play which is not deliberate or intentional. In these circumstances, the player will be removed from the field of play for the remainder of the game, with the offending team able to replace that player after 20 minutes, with one of their available replacements taking the team back to 15 players.
Countdown clock for Scrum, Lineout and Kicks at Goal
Conversion & Penalty Kicks: Kickers will now have only 60 seconds to complete a conversion, with the time starting straight after a try is scored. If a player exceeds this time limit the conversion kick shall be disallowed.
60 seconds will also be allocated for a penalty kick at goal, starting from the time the referee is informed of the decision to take the kick at goal option. If the penalty attempt times out, a scrum is awarded to the non-kicking team at the place of the penalty.
Scrum clock: A scrum must be set within 30 seconds of the referee making their mark for the scrum. A Free Kick will be given against the team deemed to be causing the delay.
Lineout clock: A lineout must be formed within 30 seconds of the assistant referee signaling the mark for a lineout. A free kick will be awarded on the 15-metre line against the team deemed to be causing the delay.
Referees ‘on mic’
Another law trial being introduced to the Autumn Nations Series for the first time, is the option for the referee to go ‘on mic’ to explain their decision or key moments, for the benefit of those in stadia, or watching at home via broadcast coverage.
