This year’s Six Nations will adopt the 20-minute red card that was trialled in the autumn.
For the first time in the Championship, a player sent off for a technical offense may be replaced by a team-mate after 20 minutes, in a proactive design to punish non-team players.
However, the referee can give a full and permanent red card for intentional and dangerous foul play.
After a successful debut in the Autumn Nations Series, referees will continue to explain important in-game decisions to the audience via microphone.
To speed up the game, kickers must have 60 seconds to transition after a try is scored, and scrums and lineouts must be organized within 30 seconds.
A global law trial designed to protect ruck-, maul- and scrum-based scrum halves also applies to the Six Nations.
The Six Nations begins with Wales’ trip to France on Friday 31 January. Scotland’s hosts, Italy and England, travel to Ireland the following day.
