Wales boss Gatland backs 20-minute red card trial

Wales head coach Warren Gatland has backed World Rugby's 20-minute red card trial.

Referees will have the option to show a '20-minute red card' during the autumn internationals as the concept comes to the northern hemisphere men's Test rugby for the first time.

While teams will still lose a player for the rest of the match in cases of "deliberate and dangerous" foul play or technical offences - such as accidental head contact - they can now be punished with a player being sent off, but replaced by a team-mate off the bench after 20 minutes under the trial rules.

The French Rugby Federation came out against the possibility of the 20-minute red card entirely replacing permanent removal of players, saying such a move would be an "unacceptable step backwards" for player safety, while Ireland's governing body has also said they do not support it.

But speaking to the Scrum V podcast, Gatland said the trial could be good for the game.