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'AND life is colour . . .' wrote 19th century poet Julian Grenfell. Taking that to heart, Hong Kong referees will soon add their own dash of colour to the already rainbow-like local League.

  The Hong Kong Rugby Football Union have agreed to introduce the yellow card and red card system on a trial basis. By December, local referees will be flaunting their canary yellow and ruddy red cards to signify foul play on the field.

  This system, now used in the domestic leagues in the UK, will be run on an experimental basis until the end of the season. If successful, the HKRFU will adopt it permanently.

  'It will basically be the same system as that followed in soccer,' explained Garry Scarborough, the Union's director of Laws, and the man responsible for this infusion of colour.

  The newly-married Scarborough, says his move is an attempt to improve communication between the referee, players and spectators.

  'The whole objective of yellow and red cards is to let everyone into the picture as to what is happening between the referee and the player. At the moment no one else other than the player concerned and maybe his captain, knows what has happened if a referee verbally cautions a player.

  'The new system will allow everyone to know that the player has been given a caution and if he commits another foul, he will be sent off,' explained Scarborough.

  For a first foul, a player will be shown a yellow card. If he oversteps the law again, the referee will show him a second yellow card followed by a red which means a sending off.

  'If it is a very serious offence on the first occasion, the referee can immediately show the red card,' said Scarborough.

  Apart from improving communication, the act of displaying cards is seen as a symbolic gesture.

  'Players may calm down at the sight of seeing a yellow card,' said a hopeful Scarborough, a referee himself.

  Let's hope so. It is known that some species in the animal kingdom get inflamed at the sight of colour.

  Referees, will meanwhile continue to have use of the sin-bin option. A sin-bin will mean an automatic yellow card.

  'This system has proved to be successful in the UK last season and they are continuing with it. I think it will benefit Hong Kong rugby,' said Scarborough.

  Possibly feeling left out of the picture, where First Division teams are called Green, White, Blue, Black, the Hong Kong Society of Rugby Union Referees will at last be proudly able to 'show off' their colours.

  But it is unclear whether referees will have to verbally state what colour the card is - so as to prevent some poor colourblind soul leaving for an early shower.

  Meanwhile, Scarborough was very happy with the current state of play in the League.

  'There has been a marked reduction in the number of sendings off this season. So far there have been only two, whereas at this same stage last season we had about eight cases.'   He put it down to three reasons: less intense games being played this season; players knowing that the disciplinary committee means business; and more communication between coaches and referees.

  Cleaner and colourful. That would make a wonderful, catchy slogan for the Union if they wanted to promote local rugby. Copyright please.

  Did you hear the one about the carload of Aussies (visiting officials and players) and Fijian Moape Ravouvou who were caught one night in Wanchai parked next to a double yellow line by the police?   The cops had swooped down on the bunch and asked for ID cards, the cars documents etc (the car is a Union vehicle). None of the passengers had a Hong Kong ID. The car was not insured etc. The only person with some sort of an ID was Moape - unfortunately he speaks very little Cantonese, leave alone English.

  Apparently there is a court case now. And a bird tells me that a senior Union official, who is also a policeman will have to turn up at court.



Referees put some colour in their game