Can a player who is carded or sent off be replaced?

Q: Can a player who is carded or sent off be replaced?

Under World Rugby Laws 2026 (Law 9 and Law 3): Yellow card: the player is cautioned and suspended for 10 minutes. If that player later commits another yellow-card offence, the player must be sent off. Play restarts with a penalty. Red card: the player takes no further part in the match and may not be replaced. The Laws add a separate paragraph marked "Elite rugby only" on when a sent-off player can be replaced after 20 minutes of playing time. Uncontested scrums: when a front-row player's departure (by injury, yellow or red card) means a team cannot contest the scrum, scrums become uncontested and are played with eight players per side. The Rugby Canada age-grade variations for U11 to U14 differ: a player removed from the field is replaced so teams stay equal in number. Sources: World Rugby Laws 2026: https://passport.world.rugby/media/wnvjlxtb/2607en-world-rugby-laws-final-compressed.pdf and Rugby Canada U13 and U14 (13 v 13) Law Variations: https://rugby.ca/uploads/Community/Age_Grade_Law_Variations_2023/English/Rugby_Canada_-_2022_Law_Variations_Community_Rugby_Eng_U13_U14-13s_v2_Jan2023.pdf

Question

Accepted Answer

Under World Rugby Laws 2026 (Law 9 and Law 3):

Yellow card: the player is cautioned and suspended for 10 minutes. If that player later commits another yellow-card offence, the player must be sent off. Play restarts with a penalty.
Red card: the player takes no further part in the match and may not be replaced. The Laws add a separate paragraph marked "Elite rugby only" on when a sent-off player can be replaced after 20 minutes of playing time.
Uncontested scrums: when a front-row player's departure (by injury, yellow or red card) means a team cannot contest the scrum, scrums become uncontested and are played with eight players per side.
The Rugby Canada age-grade variations for U11 to U14 differ: a player removed from the field is replaced so teams stay equal in number.

Sources: World Rugby Laws 2026: https://passport.world.rugby/media/wnvjlxtb/2607en-world-rugby-laws-final-compressed.pdf and Rugby Canada U13 and U14 (13 v 13) Law Variations: https://rugby.ca/uploads/Community/Age_Grade_Law_Variations_2023/English/Rugby_Canada_-_2022_Law_Variations_Community_Rugby_Eng_U13_U14-13s_v2_Jan2023.pdf