The war on scrums

[Meth]

Evidently, Harrigan's mob have moved on from penalizing players for playing the ball off the mark and have now moved on to over-policing the scrums.

I don't know about the other games, but yesterday in the Sharks v Warriors match Suttor was virtually lecturing on how a scrum should pack (accompanied by limp, impotent threats that he would penalize the Sharks- either blow the whistle or shut up) and the Warriors were penalized for some sort of sin in the scrum. It was frustrating on so many levels.

Seriously, I know the second rowers need to bind, but it it really worth that sort of attention? It was like a game of Rugby Union.

 

[SpaceMonkey]

I seriously reckon League should consider getting rid of scrums entirely. It would speed the game up and differentiate it further from union. Maybe something worth trialling pre-season?

 

[gUt]

Yep get rid of them, they achieve nothing.

 

[SpaceMonkey]

Yep get rid of them, they achieve nothing.

The only thing a scrum does is bind the forwards to make extra space for backline moves. But there are probably other ways to achieve that.

 

[Meth]

The only thing a scrum does is bind the forwards to make extra space for backline moves. But there are probably other ways to achieve that.

I like them for this reason

 

[Meth]

The only potentially negative effect that second rowers/locks not being properly bound is that they are able to break a second or two earlier to join the defensive effort, slightly negating the attacking team's chances of making the most of the space.

Surely, we have bigger fish to fry

 

[gUt]

The only thing a scrum does is bind the forwards to make extra space for backline moves. But there are probably other ways to achieve that.

That's the theory but in practice it doesn't do anything like this. Either a back hits it up like a forward or a forward who's one off the scrum hits it up.

 

[BDGS]

get over it, its here to stay.

 

[God-King Dean]

Suttor is the biggest tosser. Can't stand the way he speaks to players like they're disobediant children.

 

[Everlovin' Antichrist]

I laughed when Gallen got the sh*ts when the ref was telling the Sharks second rower to bind properly and he grabbed the blokes arm and stuck it in the right place.

 

[manoj p]

If the players want to act like spastics, they should be taught how to bind by the refs early, then penalised if they fail to comply.

The scrums over the last few years have been beyond a joke.

The issue is always presented in a strange way by the media. A proper scrum is certainly within the capability of the players if it is made clear they will be penalised. Players will always want to try it on re- the rules (as will coaches).

It is up to the admin to enforce the rule book as it is written.

Hopefully we will also see some decent feeds in the next few years if they stick with it.

As for getting rid of scrums, those suggesting it fail to understand the potential for attacking football from them. They are crucial to the fabric of the game.

 

[hrundi99]

I guess the "flop" isn't a penalty anymore...?

 

[adamkungl]

That's the theory but in practice it doesn't do anything like this. Either a back hits it up like a forward or a forward who's one off the scrum hits it up.

Not every time

 

[God-King Dean]

Scrums are fine. It's just that coaches/teams don't take advantage of it fearing they'll make mistakes.

 

[Lambretta]

I'd rather our scrums than Union scrums where they either re-pack them 50 times until someone gets it right or the referee just penalises one team for the hell of it and possession goes whichever way the ref wants it to go in that nano second.

When was the last time you saw a successful contested scrum in Union?

If the players can't bind properly - then penalise them and get on with it. Harrigan is right on this issue.

If they can't bind in a scrum then make them sit on the floor with their hands down their pants as an alternative.

The scrums are a great attacking option - it's just a shame only Tim Sheens has recognised this.

 

[morley101]

Another trick to slow down the play is to have only 5 players pack in the scrum and then a 6th player jogs in after the scrum is packed and then the scum is re-packed.

 

[S.R.]

The worst part of the scrums in the Sharks V Warriors was friggen Suttor calling "OUT" when the ball was still very much IN the scrum.

Every bloody time, the halfback threw it in, and Suttor screamed "out" immediately.

At one point, the ball was at the feet of a 2nd rower, and the Warriors scrum had broken, and the defensive line was just about at the halfback.



As for the binding and feeding of the scrum issue, the refs need to stop pulling stuff up and having the scrum re-fed, only for them to let the same thing occur a second time and let it go! Penalise it, or STFU!

 

[AlwaysGreen]

I thought the weekly scrum thread started on Tuesdays.

 

[Locky24]

I thought the weekly scrum thread started on Tuesdays.

Not after the Sharks,Warriors game.

 

[Iafeta]

The scrums yesterday were classic inconsistency from the refs. The Sharks pack a scrum, throw it in wrong, the ref warns them if they do it again its a penalty, 10-15 minutes later the Sharks do it again and they get a warning and get told to do it again. 20 minutes into the second half, the Warriors get pinged for a differential scrum penalty for apparently not binding correctly, despite having had no warnings prior.