The New Scrum Laws

[Scott Allen]

Overnight the IRB confirmed that the new scrum laws that have been trialled this year in the Pacific Rugby Cup will come into place in a twelve month global trial commencing at the start of the season in each hemisphere.

The changes can be summarised as follows:

• The packs will still crouch as they do now;
• Instead of a touch the props must bind on their opposite prop and maintain that bind;
• There will still be an engagement but with a reduced hit;
• The ball does not have to be fed until the scrum is stationery and square;
• Feeding the ball straight into the scrum will be enforced.

The revised call will be "Crouch, bind, set".

Because the props are required to bind before they engage this will necessitate the packs starting closer together. Whilst there will still be a hit, it will be reduced as a result of this.

I've seen the new laws in use in Pacific Rugby Cup games and it does promote better stability during the engagement - there were definitely less scrums going to ground as props were no longer struggling to make their bind.

With less distance between the packs before the engage and the fact that the ball does not have to be fed until the scrum is stationery the emphasis will be less on the hit and more on the push once the ball is fed.

I think this will see a massive improvement in scrummaging and turn the scrum back into a real contest.

There is nothing in the announcement about the laws that will apply when southern hemisphere teams play in the northern hemisphere at the end of the year but you'd imagine those matches will have to be played under the existing laws as southern hemisphere teams will not have played under the new laws at that time.

http://www.irb.com/newsmedia/mediazone/pressrelease/newsid=2066642.html

 

[rugbysmartarse]

I have been unusually bouyant since reading this news earlier today. I am sure this will make a positive impact. Anyone have any clips from the Pac Nations cup they can post here?

 

[Scoey]

Sounds like a really positive move!

 

[terry j]

With less distance between the packs before the engage and the fact that the ball does not have to be fed until the scrum is stationery the emphasis will be less on the hit and more on the push once the ball is fed.

I think this will see a massive improvement in scrummaging and turn the scrum back into a real contest.

That, plus this

Feeding the ball straight into the scrum will be enforced.

I really hope this aspect is enforced. Not knowing the finer arts of scrummaging (well none basically!) I could be wrong but I assume the scrums will be inherently safer as well, thus allowing a contest if the ball is put in straight.

 

[Inside Shoulder]

• Feeding the ball straight into the scrum will be enforced.

and that, ladies and gentlemen, is the last any of us will hear of that ridiculous notion

 

[JSRF10]

Finally a sensible amendment on the scrum from the IRB, looking forward to seeing this law in practice. Not often I'd say this but well done IRB

 

[Scoey]

Just making sure the props have a bind prior to engagement will be a big plus. How many scrums go down because of a weak or non-existent bind? With the tighter and tighter jerseys and the fact that they are being designed to make them harder to grab makes getting a bind very difficult indeed.

Also I will be interested to see what might happen if the ball is indeed fed straight. The art of raking has probably been lost somewhat over the years. The fact that the ball is generally not able to be hooked by the non-feeding team makes the 8-man scrum a no-brainer. If the hooker for the non-feeding team being able to have a crack at the ball and not pushing, the dynamics of the scrum will be more fascinating to watch hopefully. Unless, as I suspect, Inside Shoulder is correct then, forget what I just said.

 

[Dan54]

I actually haven't seen it in operation, sounds a bloody good idea, and I do admit to thinking that if Scott A has seen it and not rubbishing it ,I'm all for it. (now please make sure you right Scott)

 

[Craig Riddington]

Brilliant news - the scrums a contest not a restart. I wonder how much Brian Moore's lobbying had an affect on the law changes? There will be a panic amongst hookers trying to remember how to actually hook a ball. Brian Moore predicted that angled put-ins would see hookers just getting bigger and bigger because it was about smashing your opposite number in the engagement rather than hooking the ball back. When you compare the size of hookers that are around now compared to ten years ago, he is probably right. It will be interesting to see which hookers will be able to adapt and how quickly this happens.

Any chance Scott A can do a full analysis on it??

 

[maxdacat]

Sounds like a step in the right direction. I would also add that if the ball can be cleared then it should be. The S15 refs seem to be doing this more and more this season which is good too.

 

[Bruwheresmycar]

I have been unusually bouyant since reading this news earlier today. I am sure this will make a positive impact. Anyone have any clips from the Pac Nations cup they can post here?

No doubt props will find a way to bring them down eventually. But until then it looks like a move in the right direction. I look forward to it.

 

[Bullrush]

Brilliant news - the scrums a contest not a restart. I wonder how much Brian Moore's lobbying had an affect on the law changes? There will be a panic amongst hookers trying to remember how to actually hook a ball. Brian Moore predicted that angled put-ins would see hookers just getting bigger and bigger because it was about smashing your opposite number in the engagement rather than hooking the ball back. When you compare the size of hookers that are around now compared to ten years ago, he is probably right. It will be interesting to see which hookers will be able to adapt and how quickly this happens.

Any chance Scott A can do a full analysis on it??

Well, compare the size of any of the players and you'd still probably be right.

 

[Bruwheresmycar]

You can see more about this on an SA rugby video from a few months back.

skip to 17mins for senior scrums

 

[Craig Riddington]

Well, compare the size of any of the players and you'd still probably be right.

True. Apart from the two positions where the skill set is more important that anything else, the halves. It use to be that the skill set of the hooker was also the most important trait. And if you think back, it was never common practice to turn a prop into a hooker. You used to have to learn your trade because there was an emphasis on the skill of being able to hook the ball back. Although not exclusive, this did favour relatively smaller guys who were able to twist there body into a position to be able to hook the ball. It will be interesting to see how players like TPN will go and if they will be able to adapt.

 

[maxdacat]

You can see more about this on an SA rugby video from a few months back.

Fascinating.....seems like the saffas have quite a detailed and coherent framework across the grassroots right up to professional level rugby.

 

[terry j]

that short clip of scrums looks promising, but potentially misleading ie 'only successful scrums' shown?

So looking forward to scrums that are a contest.

 

[Bardon]

It's certainly a step in the right direction. My two concerns would be, will the straight feed actually be enforced. My second is that the best scrum coaches in the world will be working very hard to get the absolute most out of the reduced hit and and as a consequence reduce the effectiveness of the change. Still until it's implemented globally I shall remain hopeful that what's posted in the video is what we can expect to see regularly in elite rugby.

 

[boyo]

IMO straight feed should be enforced, and hookers should have to hook. End of.

 

[Bowside]

Good rule change.

 

[Hugh Jarse]

Hallelujah