Editing Rugby union (section)

===Replacements and substitutions===
During the match, players may be replaced (for injury) or substituted (for tactical reasons).<ref name="Law3"/> A player who has been replaced may not rejoin play unless he was temporarily replaced to have bleeding controlled; a player who has been substituted may return temporarily, to replace a player who has a blood injury or has suffered a concussion, or permanently, if he is replacing a front-row forward.<ref name="Law3"/> In international matches, eight replacements are allowed; in domestic or cross-border tournaments, at the discretion of the responsible national union(s), the number of replacements may be nominated to a maximum of eight, of whom three must be sufficiently trained and experienced to provide cover for the three front row positions.<ref name="Law3"/><ref name="Uncontested">{{cite web|url=http://www.irb.com/newsmedia/mediazone/pressrelease/newsid=2033086.html#irb+acts+uncontested+scrums |title=IRB acts on uncontested scrums |publisher=[[World Rugby|International Rugby Board]] |date=19 August 2009 |access-date=23 September 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090822203000/http://www.irb.com/newsmedia/mediazone/pressrelease/newsid=2033086.html |archive-date=22 August 2009 }}</ref>

Prior to 2016, all substitutions, no matter the cause, counted against the limit during a match. In 2016, [[World Rugby]] changed the law so that substitutions made to replace a player deemed unable to continue due to foul play by the opposition would no longer count against the match limit. This change was introduced in January of that year in the Southern Hemisphere and June in the Northern Hemisphere.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.espn.co.uk/rugby/story/_/id/15885158/world-rugby-introduces-new-rules-stop-simulation |title=World Rugby introduces new rules to stop simulation |publisher=[[ESPN (UK)]] |date=1 June 2016 |access-date=4 June 2016 |archive-date=5 June 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160605034908/http://www.espn.co.uk/rugby/story/_/id/15885158/world-rugby-introduces-new-rules-stop-simulation |url-status=live }}</ref>