The IRFU do not support the permanent adoption of a 20-minute red card, the organisation have said in a statement.
It comes after the French Rugby Federation expressed “firm opposition” to the proposed 20-minute red card, saying it is an “unacceptable step backwards” by World Rugby.
In 2024, the Rugby Championship and World Rugby’s Under-20 Championship in South Africa trialled the new law for the first time, external, meaning a team is able to replace a red-carded player after 20 minutes in the sin-bin.
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“Player welfare and safety are paramount to the core values of the game and the option of a permanent red card for deliberate and intentional acts of foul play supports those values and protects the integrity of the game,” the IRFU said.
“The IRFU welcomes the variation to World Rugby’s closed law trial, which will be adopted in the upcoming Autumn Nations Series, whereby match officials will retain the ability to award a permanent red card for acts of foul play which are deemed deliberate and dangerous.
“Match officials will also have the option of a 20-minute red card for technical acts of foul play deemed not to be deliberate or intentional.
“In these circumstances, the player will be removed from the field of play with the offending team able to replace that player after 20 minutes, with one of their available replacements, which was also trialled in this year’s Rugby Championship.”
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