Clarification 1-2011

Clarification in Law by the Designated Members of the Rugby Committee

Request

Formal request for clarification on Law 3.12(b) which states:

“If uncontested scrums have been ordered and there is an injury to a front row player which requires that player to be replaced and there is a front row player available to replace that player then the front row player replacement must be used rather than players other than front row replacements.”

This request arises from the England v France match earlier this year. Hendre Fourie (a back row player) was brought on as a replacement for Dan Cole (a prop). The other England prop had been replaced earlier due to injury. Dylan Hartley (the hooker) had been tactically replaced earlier in the game. The view of our Laws Sub-committee is that, even though the match was to continue with uncontested scrums, under Law 3.12(b) Hartley should have been brought on instead of Fourie, because he is a front row player, even though he had already been replaced.

We wish for this to be clarified to ensure that there is no confusion if a similar situation arises during the Rugby World Cup.

Clarification of the designated members of the Rugby Committee

If after a succession of injuries to front row players a further injury occurs to a front row player and there is a replacement front row player who has not been used that player must be used to replace the injured front row player even if the referee has to order uncontested scrums.

If after a succession of injuries to front row players a further injury occurs to a front row player and all the front row replacements have been used then a substituted front row player must be used to replace the injured front row player even if the referee has to order uncontested scrums, unless the referee has ordered uncontested scrums prior to the injury to the front row player and the team has used all its replacement players in which case the front row player is not replaced.