13.5.13Divisional Organising Committees may, in their discretion, permit rolling substitutions in League and Cup Matches at Level 5 and below. If the relevant Divisional Organising Committee decides to implement rolling substitutions such implementation must be in accordance with Regulations 13.5.14 to 13.5.21 below.

13.5.14In a League or Cup Match, where consent has been given by the appropriate Divisional Organising Committee and subject to Regulations (including, without limitation, 13.5.9 and 13.5.10) each team shall be permitted to use rolling substitutions of not more than the maximum number of the player interchanges (“Permitted Player Interchanges”) set out in the table below:

Number of
Replacements Player
Interchanges
3 8
4 9
5 10
7 12

13.5.15 In a Play Off Match, Permitted Player Interchanges will only be permitted where both participating teams have played their previous Matches with Permitted Player Interchanges.

13.5.16 After the Permitted Player Interchanges have been made no other replacements, substitutions or Player Interchanges will be permitted for any reason including injuries and in the event that a player is injured the team will play with one less player and with uncontested scrums in the event that this involves a front row player and the game cannot continue safely with contested scrums.

13.5.17 Player Interchanges replace the “blood bin”. If a Player has an open wound and thus has to leave the field, and the team has used all of its Permitted Player Interchanges, that Player may not be replaced and the team shall continue with a maximum of fourteen players. The Player is permitted to return once the wound has been treated and the bleeding stopped.

13.5.18 Not more than two Player Interchanges per team may occur at any one time and may only occur during a stoppage in play and with the knowledge of the Referee who is entitled in his/her sole opinion to refuse to allow or postpone a Player Interchange if he/she believes either that the Player Interchange would prevent the opposition from restarting the game quickly or where a Player has been injured or that it would not be safe for the replacement Player who has been previously injured to play in the match.

13.5.19 A Player who is a replacement shall not be entitled to take a kick at goal until a passage of play has taken place since that Player took to the field of play.

13.5.20 A Player who suffers two injuries in a match which has necessitated that Player being replaced on each occasion is not permitted to act as a replacement following the second injury.

13.5.21 Under dispensation provided to Unions by the International Rugby Board, where these rolling substitutions Regulations conflict with the Laws of the Game these Regulations shall take precedence.