How do yellow and red cards work in club rugby?

Question

Accepted Answer

Under World Rugby Law 9.29 and 9.30 (Laws of the Game 2026):

Yellow card: the player is suspended for 10 minutes. A second yellow-card offence by the same player means they are sent off, and play restarts with a penalty.
Red card: the player takes no further part in the match and may not be replaced.

The 20-minute red card, where a sent-off player may be replaced after 20 minutes, applies to elite rugby only. It is not used in club rugby.

In SA amateur rugby, the referee may also show a Blue Card. It signals that a player is being removed for a concussion or suspected concussion and may not return to the match.