Clarification 4-2018

Clarification in Law by the Designated Members of the Rugby Committee

Request

The World Rugby Immediate Pitch Side Care Working Group have recommended that World Rugby considers tightening up procedures around situations where the Team Dr attends to a player (play continues) but then determines that the situation is so dire that they need the Immediate Care team to help. These are often life-threatening or potentially serious injury instances where time is of the essence. There have been several instances where Immediate Care teams have not been able to treat players as the Referees allow play to continue. The request which has been processed via Alain Rolland is: if a Team Dr calls the Immediate Care team then should play be stopped immediately or allowed to continue?

Clarification of the designated members of the Rugby Committee

The ruling of the designated members is that as soon as a Team or Match Day Dr calls for the Immediate Care team then play should be stopped immediately. This is already covered in Law.

Law 6.28:
Medically trained persons (only qualified doctors or physiotherapists) may enter the playing area to attend to injured players any time it is safe to do so.

Law 6.8
The referee carries a whistle and blows it:
b. To stop play. The referee has the power to stop play at any time.
h. When it would be dangerous to let play continue or when it is suspected that a player is seriously injured.

Addendum

This clarification is already covered in Law. Practical application of this clarification will require Match Officials and medical teams to be in close communication. Usually this will be communicated to the No4 so that he can inform the referee to stop the game.