Let’s look at the scrums from Saturday’s test match in Mendoza. The general consensus is we struggled for most of the game but came back in the final quarter. But the only way to be sure is to look at the scrums one at a time.
Scrum 1
Feed – Australia
Won by – Australia
Completed – Yes
The surface at Mendoza was a problem from the very first scrum. This scrum was on its third reset before we got one kind of completed. The first two reset were because of foot slippage from the Pumas tighthead and at first I thought the same thing had happened here. Frankly it still could be just a foot slip that bought the scrum down or it could be a lost bind. What I can tell you is it started with James Slipper and Ramiro Herrera and continued through the entire frontrow.
Verdict – Australia
Scrum 2
Feed – Australia
Won by – Argentina
Completed – No
Jaco Peyper awarded a free kick against James Slipper on this one for ‘Chasing’. Which means he thought Slipper had continued to move forward after the initial hit instead of maintaining his position until the scrum was fed. I disagree but I’m not the ref.
Verdict – Argentina
Scrum 3
Feed – Australia
Won by – Australia
Completed – Yes
This is where things start to get interesting. Slipper had a good angle on Ramiro Herrera but it didn’t matter! Herrera powers straight through him bending his back and destroying his angle. It looks to be a planned move because Marcos Ayerza on the looshead side quickly follows. To the Wallabies credit they take the pressure and move straight back instead of corkscrewing towards Greg Holmes side of the scrum. If McCalman hadn’t of picked up quickly this would have been an Argentine penalty.
Verdict – Tied
Scrum 4
Feed – Australia
Won by – Australia
Completed – Yes
Argentina tried the same tactics as last scrum but Slipper was ready for it this time. He absorbed the hit and Ramiro Herrera lost his bind and found hinself in at bad angle and dropped the scrum. Peyper could see the ball a let Australia clear the scrum. This one could have easily been a free kick to Australia.
Verdict – Australia
Scrum 5
Feed – Argentina
Won by – Argentina
Completed – no
The Aussies got caught chasing the hit again. But in all honesty I really don’t think it’s all their fault. Crafty Argentine’s!
Verdict – Argentina
Scrum 6
Fed by – Argentina
Won by – Argentina
Completed – yes
We were just over powered in this scrum. Watch Marcos Ayerza get under Greg Holmes and drive him out of his prime position. Then notice first Skeltons and then Simmons butts pop up as the can no longer take the pressure. To their credit the Wallabies kept the scrum straight but this was a very pretty scrum from Los Pumas.
Verdict – Argentina
Scrum 7
Fed by – Argentina
Won by – Argentina
Completed – Yes
Barely completed. This was a huge lesson for Scott Sio. Ramiro Herrera moved him out of a good position and unsettled him so much you can see his outside leg searching for firm ground but it’s way too late. Sio was lucky to get out of this without an injury as he drops his bind with Herrera still moving forward and Simmons and Pocock still driving in the other direction.
Verdict – Argentina
Scrum 8
Fed by – Australia
Won by – Australia
Completed – yes
Finally some relief for the Wallaby scrum as Ramiro Herrera and Marcos Ayerza take a well earned rest. Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro and Matías Díaz just aren’t up to the same standard while Sio and Sekope Kepu are on par with the starting props in this game. You can see the set up is higher and the Wallabies power through with the easier angles and sheer off as Argentina try to go with their natural wheel.
Verdict – Australia
Scrum 9
Fed by – Argentina
Won by – Australia
Completed – No
The final scrum of the game. You can see Agustín Creevy trying to bring the props down to a better angle in the set up. He’s nearly hanging off them. But again their set up is too high and the Wallaby front row gets underneath them and drive through. Adding to their problems is a poor set up in the second row. There is no clean straight lines through the scrum but a series of highs and lows that collapse like an accordion.
Verdict – Australia
What did I learn?
Because this is about me and not you!
- The Argentine’s can scrum (duh) but just like in the game against the Springboks our reserves were better than their reserves.
- We can’t get too carried away calling for our starting props to be replaced by our reserves. Sio was owned in his one scrum against the Pumas ‘A’ scrum. Imagine if that had happened in scrum 1
- Jaco Peyper could have blown a lot more penalties but instead chose to let the game flow. Well done Jaco.
- The Wallaby scrum is still showing signs of improvement. Especially in the backrow. But the binding, the angles both in the frontrow and the planes across the tight five’s backs has also been much better.
