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 Former international rugby referee Nigel Owens has warned professional footballers that they face "a huge cultural change and shock" if sin-bin proposals succeed.

Owens has backed the trial plans to introduce sin-bins in professional football for dissent and cynical fouls. The plans mirror the 10-minute sin-bins in rugby union and Owens says it would give officials "an extra tool". However, he also says there will be "inconsistencies" to contend with. "The problem you will have is when you introduce something new like this, it can open things up to maybe sometimes inconsistencies around the decisions that are made. But that's something as a group of officials - and these are professional, high quality officials who are at this level - they hopefully will be able then to make good decisions and come collectively to be as consistent as they as they can around it." ²