How Much Do Red Cards Effect Rugby Matches?

I’ve spent the last few weeks checking through every international rugby match report within the past 7 seasons. My mission was to find conclusive information on just how many red cards have been dished out (the total number from 2017 to 2023 was 56 red cards), and determine the effects that red cards have had on the matches in which they were produced. A video that I made 8 months ago, outlined that since 2017, the threshold for red cards has dramatically lowered, yet the punishment has remained the same. Red cards were an effective deterrent against all-in brawls, vicious rucking and tackles that would make a guillotine blush. But such incidents no longer warrant red cards - instead, reds can be given out for accidental head contact - something that anyone who has played rugby knows is simply unavoidable. Plenty of rugby fans, myself included, argue that red cards in their current state ruin matches almost automatically. But do the stats back this up? Do red cards actually ruin rugby matches? Let’s have a look at some cold hard facts. *NOTE* The international rugby matches included in these stats are: Autumn Tours Rugby World Cup Six Nations Rugby Championship Northern Tours *Matches where a red card was dealt to a player from both sides have not been included.*