How and when do I report a red card or abuse after the match?

Under RFU Regulation 19 (effective 1 August 2026):

Constituent Body matches (Men's Regional 1 and below, Women's Championship 1 and below)

• Send the completed red card report as soon as practicable and no later than 9am on the second day after the match to:
  • the Disciplinary Secretary of the Constituent Body the player's club belongs to, and
  • your Referee Society.
• Example: a Saturday match by 9am Monday; a Sunday match by 9am Tuesday (earlier is preferred).
• If you acted on an assistant referee's report, the AR must add their own written account to the report.
• The player's club must separately report the red card to its CB Disciplinary Secretary within the same timeframe (player name, date of birth, RFU ID and referee's name).

RFU matches (Men's National 2 and above, and Premiership Women's Rugby)

• Weekend matches (Friday to Sunday): by 9am Monday. Weekday matches: by 9am the morning after.

Abuse of a match official must be reported on the RFU Match Official Abuse form within the same deadlines, whether or not a red card was shown.

Red and yellow card report forms (separate adult and age grade versions) and RFU report-writing guidance are on the England Rugby Referee Resources forms page. A player shown a red card can't play until their case has been heard by a disciplinary panel.