The 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia is just over a year away, and while the game has never been bigger, there’s still plenty that could be improved.
From endless TMO reviews to the dreaded caterpillar ruck, some laws have become a source of frustration rather than entertainment.
Here are five changes we’d love to see before rugby’s biggest tournament.
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5. Ban the caterpillar ruck
Few tactics divide opinion quite like the caterpillar ruck.
Teams now routinely stack three or four players behind the ball purely to give the scrum-half extra room for a box kick. It slows the game to a crawl, looks awkward and removes almost any chance of a charge-down.
Our fix:
- Only one player can stand behind the ball.
- Once the ball reaches the back, the scrum-half has three seconds to use it.
The result? Faster ball, more attacking rugby and fewer tedious stoppages.
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4. Introduce an orange card
World Rugby currently has two different types of red card.
One sees a player sent off permanently but replaced after 20 minutes. The other leaves a team down to 14 players for the remainder of the match.
The problem? Most fans don’t know which is which—especially inside the stadium.
A red card should mean one thing.
Our solution is simple: introduce an orange card.
Yellow card – 10 minutes in the sin bin.
Orange card – player sent off permanently, replacement allowed after 20 minutes.
Red card – player sent off permanently, team plays with 14 for the rest of the match.
It’s far clearer for supporters, commentators and officials while still giving referees a sensible middle ground for serious but unintentional foul play.
