Scrums 2012

[Inside Shoulder]

I suppose Law 20.8(i) could be interpreted that way, but that's the first time I have seen it applied in that fashion. I think most would agree that this law was brought in to prevent "popping" a player where their feet are off the ground and their neck may be flexed into a dangerous position (the famous Pontypool "snow on your arse, boyo" trick). The wording of the law is that this is considered "dangerous play". I don't see how two opposing front rowers standing up can be considered dangerous. Ben Franks frequently ends up in this position and I can't remember him being penalised once. If you've got a drive on and the opposition starts to break up it's better than collapsing when you haven't got much to push against.

About 6 minutes between England and France there was just such a penalty
Not at all uncommon

 

[Inside Shoulder]

or,more likely, it will collapse.

Well that is the beauty of policing the angle of the shove: the reality of either going up or down will depower the scrum because each will have to concentrate of pushing straight (i.e. neither up nor down).

Some may not agree that depowering it is a worthy aim.