New rule gives spirit of the game a red card

As from next weekend, referees in New Zealand will be empowered to use a new card, a soft red as in soft on law and order.

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The red cards they carry into rugby’s first high-level matches since Scotland beat France more than three months ago will be a diluted version of the real thing, a red-lite which will be condemned by many as undermining the ultimate sanction.

With effect from Saturday’s opening tie in Super Rugby’s Aotearoa, the Highlanders against the Chiefs in Dunedin, the damaging effect of a red card will be reduced to a bare minimum. Teams hit by a sending-off will be allowed back to full strength 20 minutes later.

They cannot reinstate the offender but are free to replace him. Those who have lent enthusiastic support to the initiative do not appear to be concerned about the small matter of the punishment fitting the crime.

The change will do nothing to ease suspicions that yet again the law is being tweaked for commercial reasons, to boost viewing figures which have been shrinking from one end of New Zealand to the other almost as quickly as support for a second term of Trump.

“There are no winners when a player is red-carded,’’ says Chris Lendrum, head of professional New Zealand rugby. “Paying rugby fans, players and coaches want to see a fair contest. Replacing a player after 20 minutes strikes the right balance.’’