Sport / Rugby World Cup

No tolerance for diving at RWC

12:27 pm on 17 September 2015

Rugby World Cup referees will send players who dive or feign injury to the sin-bin in a bid to stop a "football culture" taking over the game, a top official says.

Citing commissioners could also issue special warnings for violence and faking injury, with a possible ban after three citations, John Jeffrey, head of the Rugby World Cup match officials committee said.

"There is a culture creeping in. I call it the football culture of simulation, people appealing to referees, players - and it has happened a couple of times - diving," said Jeffrey.

"That is going to be sanctioned very heavily in this tournament," the former Scottish international added.

"It is very, very important that we keep our values," Jeffrey told a press conference. "Referees have been asked to sanction very heavily on that."

The unwanted culture also includes players who try to pressure referees into decisions. Jeffrey said they should receive a straight yellow card.

Citing commissioners will watch the game from touchlines using Hawk-Eye camera technology and can give warnings for offences that referees may not see.

After three warnings from the commissioners, or three yellow cards from referees, a player will go before a disciplinary hearing that can impose a ban.

Jeffrey said players who grab opponents around the neck in the ruck will also face an automatic sending off.

-AFP