Blue Card to Be Used in Vodafone Deans Matches Starting Today

Fiji Rugby, in collaboration with New Zealand and Australian rugby trainers, is proud to introduce the Blue Card system during the Vodafone Deans quarterfinal matches starting today.

The Blue Card is an important step forward in protecting player welfare, particularly around the issue of concussion and head injuries. It allows referees to stop play and direct a player to leave the field if there is a suspected head injury. This is not a disciplinary card — it is a player safety measure.


Here’s how it works during this trial phase:
• Referees, in consultation with medical personnel and the TMO, can issue a Blue Card if a player is suspected to have suffered a head injury.
• If the Blue Card is confirmed by medical staff, the player will enter a mandatory 21-day stand-down period from training and competition.
• During this time, the player will follow a Graduated Return-to-Play Protocol, overseen by qualified medical professionals.
• Only a doctor trained in Head Injury Assessment (HIA) can reassess and potentially clear a player earlier than 21 days..



This initiative is being trialed in the Vodafone Deans competition — starting from the quarterfinals through to the finals — before being considered for wider rollout to other levels of rugby in Fiji, including Skipper Cup, U20, clubs, and schools.

The Blue Card has been successfully used in New Zealand and Australia for several years, and our referees are receiving targeted training to ensure it is used correctly and carefully. It is not about punishing players or giving referees more power — it’s about making rugby safer for everyone involved.

We thank the Fiji Rugby Football Union Board, the Fiji Secondary Schools Rugby Association, our international trainer partners, and the Fiji Referees Interim Committeefor making this important step possible.

Our goal is clear: to protect our players, educate our rugby community, and build a safer future for the game.

Let’s support this trial and continue to put player safety first.