Ireland or Wales face having to change kits for future matches as World Rugby bids to tackle colour blindness problem

Ireland or Wales could end up playing in non-traditional colours when they meet from 2027 as World Rugby looks to help supporters affected by colour blindness.

The sport's governing body is teaming up with Colour Blind Awareness to look at ways to reduce problems for players, fans and officials alike, among them its own chairman Bill Beaumont.

That will include a new law being introduced to firm up previous measures announced by Beaumont on Colour Blind Awareness Day in September.

Around one in 12 men suffers some form of colour blindness with green and red providing the majority of the issues - numbers are far lower at around one in 200 among females.

"From our perspective, if you're potentially limiting eight per cent of your male audience, that's a huge huge number of people who are suddenly switching off," World Rugby's Marc Douglas told the i newspaper.

World Rugby hope its decision will be one that begins a similar movement throughout sport.

"Hopefully by the time Rugby World Cup 2027 comes round, this is the norm," Douglas added.

The changes will not only be limited to kit clashes, as Beaumont had stated when he spoke last month.

"Colour-blindness is largely misunderstood and the challenges for those who play, coach, officiate and support our sport is often overlooked," he said.

"As someone who experiences those challenges first hand, I am delighted that World Rugby is marking Colour Blind Awareness Day 2021 by launching comprehensive guidance for all levels of the game that place visually-impaired considerations at the heart of our decision-making.

"Through this guidance, we hope to raise awareness and change culture through positive actions that don't just address some of the more obvious challenges such as kit colours, but consider the whole match-day experience whether that be wayfinding, digital signage, branding or ticketing."