The scrum is becoming ever worse in the sport of rugby. It
should be a contest between each side’s forwards pack but it has become almost
a waste of time that is bound to result in a penalty or free kick. Games with
scrums that are all completed successfully have become a thing of the past.
One of the main problems with the scrum is the referee’s
interpretation of the laws. During one game, a referee could be very lenient
but during another a referee could be very strict. At the end of the day if the
players followed the laws then there would be no issues, but that probably
won’t happen because each side want to win!
“Crouch, touch, pause, engage” is the current scrum sequence
and it is too long. In the past the calls from the referee have been as simple
as “Ready, engage.” If that system was re-introduced it would probably work
fine but perhaps simply removing “touch” from the sequence would be better,
allowing players a little more time to prepare for the scrum hit.
The quality of the pitches is also a factor in the overall
outcome of a scrum. If the pitch has been wet and is subsequently in bad
condition the likely outcome of the scrum will be a collapse because the player’s
boots will simply cut through the grass and slide forwards or backwards and
eventually downwards. If new rules were introduced for the top sides in
European rugby to have high quality pitches then the general standard of scrummaging
in both the Heineken Cup and Amlin Challenge Cup would be improved. If a law
like this was to be introduced then it could also apply to the Aviva
Premiership and other domestic leagues.
Change in Shirts?
Another of the key issues surrounding the problems of the
scrum is the shirts. Professional rugby shirts nowadays tend to be skin tight
and have little slack for binding. The shirt is the only part the front row can
solidly bind onto and if the shirts were a little looser, the front row would
be penalised less, therefore improving the scrum without the need for the implementation
of a new law.
Ahead of the new season, kit suppliers could alter the
design of shirts worn by the forwards to provide an easier bind. The IRB’s Law
website, Irblaws.com, states “When a
player binds on a team-mate that player must use the whole arm from hand to
shoulder to grasp the team-mate’s body at or below the level of the armpit.
Placing only a hand on another player is not satisfactory binding.” The only
way players can successfully follow the above law is by grabbing the shirt and
when they are so tight it is more difficult for the player to effectively bind.
Stop the Clock?
The length of the scrum and its various resets does have an
impact on the rest of the match. If the clock was stopped for the build-up and
pauses between the scrummage then it would improve the match for the rest of
the players and more importantly the fans at the game, who don’t want to see a
game full of scrappy scrums.
If all referees treated the scrum the same then players
would know what to expect but as most of them treat the scrum quite
differently, perhaps the referee should provide the players with a detailed
scrum briefing, as well as the standard briefing, prior to kick-off. Inconsistent
refereeing is certainly one of the primary issues and the IRB will have to iron
out these problems if the scrum is to be improved.
What are your thoughts on the scrum? Post a comment below to get discussing this topic!
10 comments:
Are we really saying that pitches are worse than they were 10 or 20 years ago?? I'm finding that difficult to believe. Is it not more likely that the players are doing different things in the scrum than they used to, and that's cutting the pitch up?? Was there more emphasis on stability and a clean strike in the past, than simply putting power into the scrum.
I think a change is needed which straightens the feed, so the hooker has to strike the ball - again this'll encourage quick ball to the back of the scrum & away.
It's all rather subjective, but you do still see some good scrummaging games, so it's possible, even as things stand - but to implement some of these ideas, in a managed way, would restore the scrum to it's former glory!!
Starts n finishes with ref, less words or back to school for delivery of words. Not sure they'll change jerseys for front row, but could very well b te key !!!
Back to how it use to be, when scrummaging decided who won, the backs by how much !! Constant resets r ruining te game n viewing
The scrum is the premier problem with the modern game, hands down. I'd say they'd be better off removing the 'pause' than the 'touch' as that allows the ref to gauge whether the distance between front rows is sufficient and equal on both sides.
Standardizing the length of time the ref scrum calls take in some way would also help. Possibly with a beat counted between steps?
Refs and assistants need to be thoroughly drilled in the scrum dark arts, and with one official on each side of the scrum, call any illegal play with one warning, then a card. That includes not putting in straight at the scrum, which is my personal pet hate as far as unenforced laws go.
The need for available material in the jersey to bind on is definitely a problem alright, and could be easily sorted as you suggest.
Pitches were far worse in the past, although this can contribute to the problem it is no a major issue. Front row shirts to need to be different to allow proper binding - traditional cotton always used to work.
The laws as they stand need to be enforced, scrum halves must put the ball in straight, this would at a stoke revitalise the scrum as a contest.
The current engagement sequence is simply a count down to the hit, and the hit is part of the problem as both packs want to win it. Refs are encouraged to take the sequence slowly and steadily. When I raced mountain bikes the start was, 'I will sound the hooter sometime in the next 10 seconds' which was unpredictable and prevented jump starts. I think it would be far better if the ref varied the speed of the engagement sequence to depower the hit.
Lets get this straight. This is only a problem at the top of the game. Down the leagues most props scrummage, scrummage illegally and refs will have a stab at what is going on. If the ref is unsure, as long as its safe he will guess or let them get on with it.
At the top of the game it is not about a contest for possession but a contest for the quality of possession. If a prop has lost the hit and feels he can not dictate the quality of his own or opposition possession then he will drop it in some way. There is very good chance he will get another go because the ref is on the wrong side to see what he has done.
It has nothing to do with the surface, again look at the lower leagues, it has something to do with the shirts but it has much more to do with props cheating and preparing tactics based on analysis of the ref and the opposition.
There will be a change before the next RWC, the call of pause will be going and 'Staxis' the length of the pause should be varied, especially if there is a problem.
I am coming around to Brian Moore's view that managing the crooked feed and early engagement and the rest looks after itself. There is a good case for the "ball in" call being ref lead rather than the engagement as all problems stem from dictating the hit.
Agree with David Williams, it is not a problem at lower levels and it is all about whether you win or lose 'the hit'.
Moore is rugh, if the ball was fed straight, hookers would have to hook, and that changes the entire dynamic of the engagement, as the hookers platform to launch from has to be different to prepare for the ball.
There was the ridiculous situation in the Leicester vs. London Irish game earlier in the season where Ross Samson put the ball in straight, and neither hooker attempted to hook it as they are both so used to it being fed to the second row. The ball went straight through the tunnel and out the other side.
The C/T/P/E sequence sets up the two packs for a hit. If anything is out of line when the hit is made, the laws of physics take over and someone will go out, up or down, and the referee has to make a snap judgment to ping one side or the other, or just reset. This is difficult even for top level refs, as action replays show us week after week.
The scrum doesn't start until the ball leaves the scrum half's hands (20.7 (a)), so we should insist at the briefing that the engaged packs are static until the scrum starts (20.1 (i)). The second row forwards are the engine of the scrum and they need to be reminded of their responsibility to keep their eyes open and wait for the scrum to start. Then the scrum half has no excuses and we can enforce 20.6 properly. Which comes as a surprise to some scrum halves...
In my view the problem is the hit, and all the tactics around it, not the C/T/P/E sequence. If we enforce 20.1(i) then much of the impact of the hit can be taken out, there can be a proper contest at the scrum and fewer snap judgments.
I watch a lot of Youth rugby. The current laws make it difficult for smaller packs that are learning the game. There are multiple infringements and games are won and lost on the refs interpretation. These games should still be 'coached'. From a Premiership perspective I've seen a lot of sides run down the clock by deliberately 'getting it wrong. Something Stuart Barnes would describe as 'smart play'.
What the hell is the instruction "pause" all about? Refs call "Crouch"... then pause before saying "Touch"... then pause again before actually saying "Pause"... then, you've guessed it, they pause yet again before finaly saying "Engage". Then wonder why they have to penalise a pack for engaging early. Surely a better call sequence would be...
"Crouch",
"Touch and Pause" (said as one command and as soon after the crouch command as is feasable)
"Engage" (as soon as the ref is satisfied everything is ok).
As a prop I love scrum time, but it is ruined by the length of engagement. Ideally I would prefer the ref lets the 2 packs to get set then when they are, let them engage and leave them to it. This would probably make scrums better, more of a contest and stop them from going down. What I do not want to see is the scrum become what it is over in places like Australia where it is not a contest but a way of restarting the game, that is a load of rubbish! It ruins what a scrum is meant to be!
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