Prem Rugby directors of rugby welcomed the 20-minute red card adopted by the league this season.

Nathan Michelow, the Sarries back rower, was the first player to receive the sanction when he was ordered off one minute into the clash against Newcastle on the opening night for a tip tackle on George McGuigan.
When the 20 minutes were up, he was replaced by Harry Wilson and, although the old system would have seen Sarries reduced to 14 men for virtually the entire match, Steve Diamond, below, speaking before being dismissed as Newcastle’s director of rugby last week, believes it was the right ...