4 January 2012
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!
