Bunker ‘foul play’ review system to feature at Rugby World Cup

World Rugby has confirmed that the World Cup in France will feature the so-called bunker ‘foul play’ review system.

Following successful and extensive trials in the Summer Nations Series, World Rugby U20 Championship, The Rugby Championship and Super Rugby Pacific, World Rugby has approved an extension of the ‘foul play’ trial to feature across all 48 matches at the upcoming World Cup in France.

Referees will remain the lead decision-maker during matches but will now have the ability to refer any foul play incident where a red card is not clear and obvious following two big screen replays, to the Foul Play Review Official located in the ‘Bunker’ for formal review.

If the officiating team is unable to determine whether an incident warrants a red card, but does meet at least a yellow card threshold, the referee will cross their arms, signaling a formal review and the player will leave the field for 10 minutes as per the current sin-bin laws.

The Foul Play Review Official will then have up to eight minutes to review the incident using all footage produced by the independent host broadcaster (World Rugby) and technology, including Hawk-Eye split screen and zoom technology, to determine the outcome.

The Foul Play Review Official will then communicate the decision back to the officials in the stadium. The referee will either uphold the yellow card and enable the player to return or award a red card whereby the player stays off the field and is unable to be replaced. All decisions will be communicated via the big screen in stadia and via broadcast graphics.

The Rugby World Cup will also feature all 2023 Law Application guidelines, including the visible shot clock. The shot clock shows players the 90 seconds, already set in law, they have to take a conversion and 60 seconds to kick a penalty with the time counting down on screen in-stadia and in-broadcast.

The shot clock is aimed at reducing time-wasting, aiding game flow.

Meanwhile, following successful trials, World Rugby will operate a new replacement manager app that replaces the traditional paper and card system used by match officials.