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Junior Member
 
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 14/08/2008 14:29:55
Posts: 20,
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| As a 33yr old whose played my whole career in all positions of the fromt row, I really dont see what the fuss is about, I know that new rules will come along and i know that I'll have to adapt to them (I always used to enjoy braing my outside arm on my thigh (for example)). I dont think that the scrum is any more or less dangerous than it has ever been as there will always be people out there pushing the rules a bit too far. A strange side effect that I have noticed is within the 3rd qand 4th teams that I have coached. The natural style of the team has always been an open fast rucking game, in general we have never been great scrummagers although have always held our own. I have noticed in games that I have played in and watched that much of the advantage within scrums have been lost by the physically bigger teams we have come against as the timing of the hit is more controlled allowing my teams to keep their shape, use their technique, and therefore gain better ball. I would suggest that if youre a newer player the front row may not be as daunting, if that means that there are more people willing to put their hand up for front row then it would be a good thing.
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Junior Member
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 12/06/2008 16:09:53
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| I think ANFY B last post hit the nail on the head. No one likes change (in any aspect of life), & the more experienced players will take longer to adjust than younger ones who may have already experienced this type of engagement at junior levels. The refs are also still finding their way with this law change, & it is always good to talk to the ref after the game & discuss the finer points with them, they are human as well. We now try to get lower in the front row, also get the locks lower, even get the props to `sit' on the locks shoulders. Again this takes practice to get the balance right, & many clubs don`t seem to spend enough time looking at the mechanics of building a scrum. We must also remember that the law change also only came in on 1st jan, already well into our season, so we had no pre-season to prepare unlike the southern Hem teams (no bias there then). Hopefully with pre-season starting soon, teams will put some time into looking at their techniques, refs will have mastered the interpretations of the law changes more, & things will have iimproved Just as an aside, if the IRB really wanted to stop problems with front collapse/injury, then they would reinforce the props binding laws, as we see week after week after week front rows collapsing even under the new laws as the props dont bind correctly, or at all. If they were forced to bind correctly (penalty/YC) then front row collapse would virtually disappear. Some of this responsibility must land on the refs shoulders as they seem to ignore this aspect. If a prop binds with his outside arm onto the opposition prop it keeps his shoulders up, stops boring in (to a degree) & keeps the front rows square & stops collapse. If you look at the dynamics you have 3 points of contact, feet, shoulders, arm bind, so you have a tri-pod that is stable. If you take one tri-pod leg away it collapses, i.e. remove the arm bind & you are going only one way, down. Perhaps this needs to be didiscussedn a new thread!!!!!
Ruck, Ruck, & Ruck again.
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Supreme Being
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 13/06/2009 17:01:50
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Tight 5 (15/06/2007)
We must also remember that the law change also only came in on 1st jan, already well into our season, so we had no pre-season to prepare unlike the southern Hem teams (no bias there then).
well, no more so than other law changes that have come into force half way through the SH season in the past.
In 1992 in New Zealand when i was playing down there the alterations to the ruck, maul, points system etc all came in half way through our season (I am the first Englishman to have scored a 5 point try as a result ;-)... we'd trained for it for a few weeks leading up to the introduction - but it was a triple whammy none the less. Was there any bias involved there as a counter argument? By definition (almost) any law changes especially these days will come in during somebody's season. Its easy to find conspiracies if you try hard enough ;-)
cheers
didds
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Junior Member
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 10/07/2007 11:38:15
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I started in the front row in the late 70's the scrum would form up when the ball was available and the front rows ready, it was quiet acceptable and expected then for the occasional exchange of pleasantries if anybody did anything idiotic and all in all the front rows sorted it all out. Props and hookers lasted for years and usually weren't expected to know their trade until late 20's when they had learned all the wiley old tricks and nuances that make up great front row play.
So with the new laws designed to make the game safer what to we see, props and hookers retiring injured or suffering severe injuries to their backs and necks on a regular basis. We are coaching players to spring load the scrum so they can hit harder and harder, what will it lead to more injures, lives and careers ruined.
Sometime new is not necessarily better, time to go back and have scrums form up without the legalised charging that used to be a penalty offence but is now controlled by the referees!
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