French rugby is doing things differently this season \u2013 and fans are taking notice.<\/p>\n
Since the start of the campaign, referees across France have been using a\u00a0brand-new orange card, signalling a\u00a020-minute red, while\u00a0ditching the bunker system\u00a0entirely. The move keeps full authority in the hands of the referee, rather than passing decisions off to video officials.<\/p>\n
At the same time, officials have been told to\u00a0tighten up on maul defence, with a particular focus on stopping players from \u201cswimming\u201d around the outside.<\/p>\n
Join our Breaking News and Top Stories WhatsApp community<\/a>\u00a0for all the latest news direct to your phone.<\/p>\n Referees Told to Clamp Down on Maul \u2018Swimming\u2019<\/p>\n Top referee\u00a0Mathieu Raynal\u00a0has made it clear that defences need to stay honest around the maul.<\/p>\n Raynal explained:<\/p>\n \u201cWhen the entry point is legal and a player swings around a maul, we think it should be a penalty,\u201d Raynal said. \u201cWe decided collectively that it should be a penalty. It\u2019s more accessible for the fan and it\u2019s fairer for both teams. That\u2019s rugby; to win the fight. When you swing around the maul, you disrupt it. We see players entering the maul legally and then swing around the opposite side. If they do not move, we penalise them.\u201d<\/p>\n Referees will now blow straight away if a player ends up in an offside position, even if they remain bound in the contest.<\/p>\n Orange Card Keeps Power on the Pitch<\/p>\n France\u2019s\u00a0orange card initiative\u00a0is designed to make things clearer for supporters and to keep the decision-making process firmly under the referee\u2019s control.<\/p>\n \u201cIt is easier for the fans to understand what is going on,\u201d Raynal said. \u201cIt is a different colour to red and yellow with a different outcome. It is important for fans in the stadium. With orange, everyone knows that it is 20 minutes off the field. The process that we use is that we do not have a bunker. With three sanctions \u2013 yellow, orange and red \u2013 we think that the referee is able to decide on his own, looking at the screen. They are more comfortable.\u201d<\/p>\n \u2018Referees Should Be the Decision-Makers\u2019<\/p>\n Raynal believes France\u2019s approach is fairer, simpler, and more empowering for the officials on the field.<\/p>\n \u201cWorld Rugby has the bunker so the referee cannot give a 20-minute red card on their own. They send it to the bunker. Then, the bunker cannot give a permanent red card. We think, for our sport, that it\u2019s better to have a strong permanent red card, and we think the best people to make those decisions are those in the middle and not in the bunker because if the guy in the bunker was better than the guy in the middle then he would be in the middle.\u201d<\/p>\n The message from France is clear:\u00a0trust the referee, not the replay booth.<\/p>\n EDITORS PICKS:<\/p>\n \u201cGoodbye, caterpillar ruck\u201d \u2013 Five more rugby law changes for 2026<\/p>\n Rugby has always balanced its proud traditions with the need to evolve. Yet, as the modern game grows faster, stronger, and more strategic, some long-standing laws may no longer serve their original purpose as effectively.<\/p>\n World Rugby has shown a readiness to adapt in recent years\u2014these ideas could mark the next step in that ongoing evolution.<\/p>\n Join RUCK\u2019s Instagram broadcast channel\u00a0<\/a>and get the latest rugby news straight to your phone.<\/p>\n 1. No more draws<\/p>\n Rugby is one of the most thrilling sports in the world, but draws often leave players and fans frustrated. After 80 minutes of hard-fought action, neither team winning can feel unsatisfying and anticlimactic. Introducing golden point\u2014where the first score in extra time wins\u2014would give matches a clear, decisive ending.<\/p>\n Golden point also encourages attacking rugby. Teams would be pushed to take risks, go for tries, or attempt drop goals rather than playing safe for a draw. Every possession would matter even more, and fans would be treated to the kind of high-stakes drama that other sports, like rugby league and AFL, have long enjoyed.<\/p>\n It would make competitions simpler and fairer too. League tables, knockout tournaments, and international fixtures often rely on tiebreakers to separate teams after draws. Golden point ensures there\u2019s always a winner on the scoreboard, rewarding performance rather than chance or points difference.<\/p>\n Player welfare concerns can be managed by limiting extra time to short bursts\u2014say two five-minute halves or a first-score-wins rule within 10 minutes\u2014keeping the game exciting without overtaxing athletes.<\/p>\n Golden point wouldn\u2019t just make rugby more exciting\u2014it would make it fairer, more competitive, and in tune with the modern expectation that every game should have a winner. With more tight contests in both club and international rugby, there\u2019s never been a better time to adopt it.<\/p>\n 2. Fewer Substitutions<\/p>\n Rugby has changed significantly over the years, and one of the biggest shifts is how the bench is used. These days, teams often bring on almost an entirely new forward pack late in the game. Big, fresh players crash into tired defenders, making the final 20 minutes less about skill and endurance, and more about brute force. Many fans and former players feel this has turned rugby into a collision sport rather than a contest of stamina and intelligence.<\/p>\n Reducing the number of substitutions would encourage players to pace themselves. Space would open up in the second half, creating more opportunities for creative play rather than endless phases of pick-and-go. It would reward fitness, smart decision-making, and those capable of performing for the full 80 minutes.<\/p>\n Fewer substitutions wouldn\u2019t just make the game more exciting\u2014it would make it fairer, safer, and more in line with the spirit of what rugby has always been about.<\/p>\n With the rise of 6\u20132 and even 7\u20131 bench splits, pioneered by Rassie Erasmus, the trend seems to be heading in the opposite direction. That\u2019s all the more reason to act now.<\/p>\n CONTINUES ON PAGE TWO<\/a><\/p>\n Like this:<\/p>\n Like Loading…<\/p>\n