Top referee backs the introduction of orange cards.

Top rugby referee Nigel Owens is backing World Rugby’s suggested introduction of the orange card which aims to clamp down on high tackles.

The orange card was one of a the recommendations given by World Rugby which is designed to provide national member unions with further COVID-19 transmission risk reduction measures if required.

The card would see players removed from the field for 15 minutes for certain high tackle offences.

The incident could then be reviewed by ‘Hawk Eye’, which could then be upgraded to a red card.

World Rugby claims that high tackles are more likely to risk transmission of the virus and hence the orange card being one of the recommendations being pushed by the governing body.