The future is orange for rugby referees as chiefs ponder new card for World Cup

World Rugby is considering giving referees the option of “orange cards” at this year’s World Cup, according to the governing body’s head of match officials.

A form of the yellow card review system is currently being trialled in Super Rugby Pacific and it could be fast-tracked into the global showpiece hosted by France this autumn.

While players can still be given a red card for instances of foul play, the referee has the option of showing a yellow that can then be upgraded to red on review by the TMO.

The idea of the initiative is to speed up the game by reducing the number of on-field replays of incidents while also dealing with contentious decisions, such as the dismissal of England full-back Freddie Steward against Ireland last month.

Steward was controversially sent off for a dangerous challenge on Hugo Keenan during the March 18 Six Nations encounter in Dublin, but the card was subsequently rescinded by a disciplinary panel.

“This is an operation being tested in Super Rugby,” World Rugby’s Joel Jutge told Midi Olympique.

“In the event of a 50-50 decision, the referee has the possibility of giving a yellow card so that the game can resume as soon as possible, while the TMO has 10 minutes of temporary expulsion to decide whether this should be turned into a permanent expulsion.

“We would give orange cards, clearly.”

Additional reporting by PA