Clarification 10-2003

Ruling in Law by the Designated Members of the Rugby Committee

Request

NZRFU has requested a ruling with regard to Law 3 Number of Players-The Team, and Law 3.10 (a) Temporary Replacement:

As the teams return to the field at the end of the 10 minute half time break, Team A advised their substitution/replacement controller (No. 4), that Team A #3 (a prop) was a blood bin and was to be temporarily replaced by Team A #17. The Team A management had not advised anyone of the blood bin as they left the field of play at half time.

It transpired that the 15 minute blood bin time was recorded as starting at 40.01 and the player was given 15 minutes from that time in which to return to the field of play. Should Team A, #3, have been given only 5 minutes, as he had already had 10 minutes of the maximum 15 minutes permitted in Law?

Ruling of the designated members of the Rugby Committee

(1) If a player does not advise the referee of the injury as the team leaves the field at half time, then the 15 minutes allowed for the blood injury will be deemed to have commenced at the end of the first half. The amount of time available for the expiry of the 15 minute blood bin after half time will be dependent on the time taken for half time.