Law 3: Substitute – Temporary Replacement – Permanent Replacement

Law 3 – Number of Players – The Team

There are 22 laws in the IRB rugby law book (Laws of the Game Rugby Union). Six (6) of these IRB laws are altered by the existence of the NZRU Domestic Safety Law Variations (DSLVs). “Law 3 – Number of Players – The Team” is one of those altered laws.

DSLV Law 3 applies to all levels of domestic rugby in NZ. This equates to ITM Cup and below!!

A player who has left the field, having been substituted, is allowed to return to the field for an injured team-mate as well as a team-mate with an open or bleeding wound!

DEFINITIONS:

Substitute. A player who replaces a team-mate for tactical reasons.
Temporary Replacement: A player who temporarily replaces another who leaves the field to have bleeding controlled and/or an open wound covered, or who replaces a front row player who has been temporarily suspended or required to leave the field to obtain a mouthguard.
Permanent Replacement: A player who permanently replaces an injured player or a front row forward who has been ordered off.

NZRU DOMESTIC SAFETY LAW VARIATIONS

LAW 3 – NUMBER OF PLAYERS – THE TEAM

Applications:

Applicable to all levels of New Zealand domestic rugby. Does not apply to International and Super rugby.

3.12 SUBSTITUTED PLAYERS REJOINING THE MATCH

A player may be used as a substitute only once.
A substituted player may be used as a permanent or temporary replacement.
A player who has left the field, having been substituted, is allowed to return to the field to replace an injured player. In this circumstance, the player returning to the field is a permanent replacement.
A player who has left the field, having been substituted, is allowed to return to the field to replace a bleeding player. In this circumstance, the player returning to the field is a temporary replacement.