What happens if we run out of front-row players and scrums go uncontested?

SA Rugby's February 2025 directive on high and primary school matches says that when scrums become uncontested, the team that caused it plays short, using the Uncontested Scrum Reduction Table:

• Uncontested because of a contact injury: the team is reduced to 14.
• Uncontested because of a yellow or red card: the team is reduced to 13. The same applies to a contact injury after an earlier card.
• Uncontested because of a second card after an earlier yellow or red card: the team is reduced to 12.
• No reduction when the front-row loss that makes scrums uncontested is caused by a confirmed or suspected concussion, a blood injury, or foul play (a penalty confirmed by the referee as a foul-play injury).

Uncontested scrums are still played with eight players a side.

The reduction table does not apply to primary school rugby. The directive notes that the BokSmart Rugby Safety Programme always applies.