Six Nations Sides To Trial New Rules Before Grand Slam 

The 2024 Autumn Internationals will kick off in November, with the Southern Hemisphere sides visiting the North. 

As fans look out for Six Nations tickets in the secondary ticket marketplace, these fixtures will be the first time the new rules will be trialed before the 2025 season. 

With a lot of expectations riding on the English’s performance in their final few games, England will face New Zealand on November 2nd.

This encounter will refresh all the fans with Six Nations tickets, helping them grasp each team’s competitive edge before the big dance. 

The set of November fixtures for this year’s Autumn Nations Series will see the European Six Nations sides host some of the strongest nations from the rest of the world. The stage is set for a genuine sporting spectacle, and to enhance the experience for fans, new law trials are confirmed to feature.

The introduction of these law trials by Six Nations Rugby, the official organization responsible for the Autumn Nations Series, has been driven by a game-wide commitment to enhancing the spectacle for fans and the ambition to simplify the game in key areas while continuing to ensure player safety and welfare standards remain paramount.

The law trials featured in the 2024 Autumn Nations Series:

20 Minute Red Card

Referees will be able to award a permanent red card for foul play deemed deliberate and dangerous. However, this November, they can award a 20-minute Red Card for technical offenses. 

This variation on the law trial will run throughout the Autumn Nation Series and differs from the standalone 20-minute Red Card proposal due to be discussed by the wider game later this year. 

The red card variation ensures that players deemed to commit deliberate and dangerous offenses receive the full sanctioning and subsequent disciplinary process. The team is reduced to 14 men for the remainder of the game.

The 20-Minute Red Card element relates to an act of foul play that is not deliberate or intentional. In these circumstances, the player will be removed from the field of play for the remainder of the game. The offending team can replace that player after 20 minutes, with one of their available replacements taking the team back to 15 players.

Another law trial being introduced to the Autumn Nations Series for the first time is the option for the referee to go ‘on the mic’ to explain their decision or key moments to benefit those in the stadium or watching at home via broadcast coverage.

Countdown Clock 

 Kickers will now have only 60 seconds to complete a conversion, with the time starting straight after a try is scored. The conversion kick shall be disallowed if a player exceeds this time limit.

Sixty seconds will also be allocated for a penalty kick at goal, starting from the time the referee is informed of the decision to take the kick at goal option. If the penalty attempt times out, a scrum is awarded to the non-kicking team at the place of the penalty.

A scrum must be set within 30 seconds of the referee making their mark for the scrum. A Free Kick will be given against the team deemed to be causing the delay.

A lineout must be formed within 30 seconds of the assistant referee signaling the mark for a lineout. A free kick will be awarded on the 15-metre line against the team deemed to be causing the delay.

Commenting on the introduction of these law trials to the 2024 Autumn Nations Series, Julie Paterson, Chief of Rugby at Six Nations Rugby, said:

“Everyone in rugby understands that there is a huge opportunity to capture the attention of a far broader audience, alongside catering to its existing and passionate fanbase. 

The law trials are just one step towards exploring this opportunity, and the trials running through the Autumn Nations Series will hopefully enhance the experience for fans while helping explain some of the decisions taken ‘live’ and to embrace but also explain the nuances that are part of what make rugby so unique and special.

“No trial or subsequent change is considered without utter confidence that player safety and welfare is front and center, though. First and foremost, we need to look after the players and their interests, and the trials we have opted to use this November deliver on this commitment.”

These games will give fans a first look at the new rules for investing in Six Nations tickets from the secondary ticket marketplace. 

According to World Rugby, these rules will also apply to the 2025 games if the test goes well. 

A number of these closed law trials have already been tested across various rugby competitions, including The Rugby Championship, World Rugby’s U20 Championship, and the Pacific Nations Cup.

Six Nations Broadcasting Rights in Crisis

While fans who purchase tickets from the secondary ticket marketplace will be able to experience the games, the official broadcasting situation for the Six Nations is in doubt. 

The future of the Six Nations on the BBC looks increasingly uncertain after a record-breaking £100 million per year was slapped on the tournament’s UK broadcast rights.

According to Mail Online, with the current broadcasting deal set to expire in March, this price hike could push the Six Nations away from free-to-air TV.

Currently, the Six Nations broadcasting rights are split between the BBC and ITV, with S4C providing Welsh-language coverage. This setup has made the tournament accessible to millions of fans. 

However, with the current deal, worth £90 million per year, nearing its end, the tender process is about to kick off, and the BBC’s ability to keep up with the financial demands is under serious strain.

The BBC has been open about the financial pressures it’s facing. With budgets tightening and a new leadership team focused on cutting costs, the broadcaster has already hinted that they may struggle to afford their share of the Six Nations rights. This opens the door to a potential joint deal between ITV and TNT Sports, which would mean fans might need a subscription to catch all the action.

Six Nations officials are gearing up for an open tender process, inviting bids from traditional broadcasters and streaming platforms alike. Based in London’s Victoria, Six Nations chiefs are weighing their options—do they go for maximum revenue or prioritize keeping the tournament free-to-air?

TNT Sports, a rising player in the rugby broadcasting world, is a likely candidate to swoop in. Backed by Warner Brothers, TNT already has a joint FA Cup deal with the BBC and could explore a similar setup for the Six Nations. This hybrid model might be the compromise needed to satisfy both the fans and the commercial interests.

Whether the Six Nations should remain free-to-air has become a hot political topic. Earlier this year, the Welsh government pushed for the tournament to be granted A-grade protected status, which would ensure it stays on terrestrial TV. 

However, the request was denied, and the Department for Digital, Culture, Media, and Sport (DCMS) confirmed no current plans to change the rules.

Six Nations tickets for 2025 are now available in the secondary ticket marketplace.