(Reuters) – A video replay and foul play review systems will be among the innovations set to appear in the Summer Nations Series being played in Europe, Six Nations Rugby said on Monday.
Bunker, Hawk-Eye, Ref Cam, Shot Clock, and Smart Ball will be featured in the July 29-Aug. 27 series, which takes place ahead of the Rugby World Cup in France starting in September.
The series will see 13 teams – Australia, England, Fiji, France, Georgia, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Romania, Samoa, Scotland, South Africa and Wales – play in 15 matches.
The new Bunker review process and Hawk-Eye will feature in all games in the series to support referees and match officials, and encourage speed of play, Six Nations Rugby said in a statement.
Referees will remain lead decision makers but now can refer foul play to a “Foul Play Review Officer” (FPRO), situated within the Bunker, when a red card is not obvious.
After the player leaves the field for 10 minutes, the FPRO will have up to eight minutes to review the incident using all available technology and footage to communicate the decision to the in-play officiating team.
The referee will then either award a yellow or a red card.
Hawk-Eye technology will act as independent video replay operator to support referees and the accuracy of their decision making, Six Nations Rugby added.
Shot Clock, Ref Cam and Smart Ball match data, meanwhile, will aim to add to the match day experience for fans in the stadiums and those watching at home.
“Bringing the latest technology, processes and rugby focused innovations into Six Nations Rugby competitions is a core part of helping drive the collective growth of the game,” Julie Paterson, Director of Rugby at Six Nations Rugby, said.
“The likes of the Bunker Trial and Hawk-Eye will offer even more support to match officials and the decisions they make in the heat of a live match environment. For fans, we want to bring them as close to the action as possible.
“Everyone in the game wants to keep developing and pushing new initiatives, and the Summer Nations Series offers a great opportunity to deliver in this area.”
(Reporting by Anita Kobylinska in Gdansk; Editing by Ken Ferris)
