Cup's bleeding mess: who can and can't play on during game (+ photos)

Andy Ellis. Photo / Richard Robinson

How much blood is spilling from a player determines whether they are sent to the blood bin.

During Sunday's big Rugby World Cup semifinal clash, All Black back Cory Jane had a bloodied nose for most of the match yet continued to play.

But sub Andy Ellis was forced off the pitch with a bloody face shortly after he was called off the bench in the 56th minute.

Gallery: All Blacks v Wallabies: Blood, sweat and tears

The International Rugby Board's rules stipulate that the referee, a team's medic or the independent match doctor can call a player off the field to have bleeding controlled or to have an open wound covered.

The rugby blood law came into effect in 1996 for health and safety reasons during an overhaul of the governing body's rules.

Previously, a player could be replaced only after being ruled out for injury.

IRB spokesman Dominic Rumbles said the difference between Jane and Ellis' injuries was how much blood was spilling from them and how easy it was to patch them up.

"Cory Jane basically just had a nose bleed and they kept stuffing cotton wool up his nostrils to stem it and it did. So as long as it's not a bleeding wound, in other words, they just managed it. He also had a cut above his nose which they put Vaseline on to manage it.

"Whereas with Ellis ... it was a much more serious cut."

Mr Rumbles said if the cut was not able to be fixed with Vaseline or cotton wool, the player had to come off the field so the wound could be stitched up and a temporary replacement was sent on.

If this is the case the injured player can spend 15 minutes of actual time in the blood bin - if it takes longer than that to fix the gash, the temporary replacement becomes permanent and the bloodied player must not return to the field.

Then if the temporary replacement is injured, that player may also be replaced.

However, if the replacement player is sent off for foul play while his injured teammate is in the blood bin, the original player may not return to the field of play.

As well, the IRB's rules state that "if the temporary replacement is cautioned and temporarily suspended, the replaced player may not return to the field of play until after the period of suspension".

Temporary replacement

* A wounded player can be sent to the blood bin to curb bleeding and a temporary replacement put on.
* Bloodied player has 15 minutes for the cut to be fixed before he has to return to play or temporary replacement becomes permanent.
* If temporary replacement is injured, that player may also be replaced.
* If temporary replacement is sent off for foul play, the replaced player may not return to the field.
* If the temporary replacement is cautioned and temporarily suspended, the replaced player may not return to the field of play until after the period of suspension.