World Rugby said on Thursday that a player who has been advised to leave the field after a suspected concussion does not have to follow the updated Graduated Return to Play (GRTP) protocols if follow-up tests are negative.
World Rugby changed its Graduated Return to Play (GRTP) protocols from 1 July which now require that elite players with concussion symptoms avoid playing for at least 12 days.
It clarified that the first step of a Head Injury Assessment (HIA) can advise a player to sit out the rest of the match as a precaution but that only the second and third steps of the process can confirm if there has been a concussion.
"If the player passes the subsequent HIA 2 test which takes place after the match and HIA 3 test which takes place 36 hours after the game, the player does not have a confirmed concussion," World Rugby said.
"In these circumstances, the player is available for the next match and is not required to undertake the return to play protocols."
Ireland coach Andy Farrell refused to rule captain Johnny Sexton out of their second test against New Zealand this week after he passed the second HIA test following his removal from Saturday's loss to the All Blacks.
The flyhalf was not allowed to return to the field on Saturday having failed the in-game Head Injury Assessment (HIA) but became available for selection after the third and final HIA test was also negative. Read full story
"If a player does not pass either the HIA2 or HIA3 test then a concussion is diagnosed and the player will return according to recently updated protocols which will likely see them miss the next match," World Rugby added.