Rugby: IRB foils blood-bin cheats

The International Rugby Board yesterday moved to toughen rules governing the use of the blood bin.

Players who leave the field for a "blood injury" must now return within 15 minutes or they will be regarded as replaced.

The change, announced after an interim meeting of the board in Dublin, will be brought in immediately.

It is intended to prevent blood-bin injuries being used as an unfair means of resting players and putting them back into a match reinvigorated.