If a football or rugby player has an early bath, they are sent off the pitch before the end of the game, because they have broken the rules. When it is a midfield player who takes an early bath, the impact is almost zero. Ref Graeme Allison had no hesitation in sending the 16-year-old for an early bath. Note: In football and other sports, players who are sent off cannot return to the field and so can take a bath before the game is finished.