URC rule out bunker system for this season but may introduce next year

URC chief Martin Anayi says it may be introduced next season.

NO IMMEDIATE CHANGE: URC CEO Martin Anayi. Pic:  ©INPHO/James Crombie

The bunker system which has been in use at the World Cup in France will not be used in the United Rugby Championship which kicks off this weekend, but tournament chief executive Martin Anayi says it may be introduced next season.

The bunker system being used in France, aimed at speeding up decisions on yellow/red cards by allowing television match officials eight minutes to make a decision while play continues, is to be reviewed by World Rugby after the tournament.

Anayi said they will be influenced by this review and will also liaise with EPCR to ensure that players are not going from one system to another.

He said the cost and logistics of introducing the system for a competition which has 151 games played in five countries over seven months, was also a factor.

At the World Cup, all television match officials were based at the Roland Garros sports complex in Paris for all 48 games.

“We are looking at that and are totally involved with Tappe Henning who is our head of match officials and we are looking at reviewing that process through Rugby World Cup, and the EPCR to make sure we are aligned and not going from one system to another system.

“I suspect we will see something similar — it won’t be for this season as we are in the midst of about to kick it off — but I’d imagine we will see something similar, probably next season for URC.

“We will take the learnings from World Rugby, there is a body who reports back how they think it went and how it can be replicated at league level.

“There are obviously cost issues because we run 151 games a year, so it is a bit of a different beast to the Rugby World Cup, but we will look to make sure we have an appropriate standard within the league as well,” said Anayi.