#scrum problems

[muttyref]

Self Analysis: Scrumhalf offside at the scrum (Bryant vs UML)

Figured it was time to turn the video microscope around on myself since I've been doing it to professional referees and all. My last match of the fall season was a Division 2 collegiate conference championship match (mouth full) between the top seed Bryant University and UMass Lowell who was also the host. It was a well lined turf pitch with a decent size stadium and it was a beautiful day for November in New England. The winner was nationals bound and Bryant had brought up a bus of drunk college students making the environment electric!

Last season I started including a segment about the pocket in my pre-match speech to the teams. The pocket is a game management issue which applies to the defensive scrumhalf and isn't very well known by American rugby players. On defense a scrumhalf can follow the ball but can't pass it or he is offside. Many scrumhalfs will try and go as far as the 8man and tend to find themselves in the space between the flanker and 8man. Here he can quickly tackle the 8 if it's a pick and go or disrupt the attacking scrumhalves ball once it's played. This creates sloppy play which is why referees are encouraged to keep the scrumhalf out of this space so the ball is available and the teams can play fast paced attacking rugby...rather than having a scrumfest. 

Setting your standard early in a match is of the utmost importance, especially when it's something you just told a player about. In this match I failed to set the standard early and it proved costly in the form of what some would call a manufactured penalty. Here is the second scrum of the match where Bryant (black) has the put in:

After 2 resets we're finally back to playing rugby, that is until the UML (white) scrumhalf disrupts play and we're back for another scrum...sweet right? Checkout the defending scrumhalfs position and decide if he's in the pocket in which case he should have been penalized for being offside. Had I been better with setting/maintaining my standard of play this penalty likely would not have occurred 2 scrums later:

It was the right call but was it ultimately caused by my lack of a call when it happened to the Bryant scrumhalf? As a player, coach, and fan you expect consistency and here I didn't deliver. Not having to call this one would have also helped with my penalty count which was 30 for this match. More on that in a later post. In the meantime, here is the full video for the match:

[muttyref]

There's your space there...go for the space (trouble at the scrum).

The scrum is one of the least understood parts of the game, especially what occurs in the front row. Having played hooker and prop I consider myself a bit knowledgeable but there is still plenty that goes on where I'm left scratching my head. For example, why would any prop ever choose to lineup head to head? It's a form of the game chicken but here we're going to use our heads...brilliant. This sequence from Saturday's Chiefs vs Highlanders match stood out for its length and substance:

Plenty of issues with this sequence of scrums and Rohan Hoffmann has some very specific communication to clear things up (sorry for the long injury portion of the clip but it provides context). The first sequence is halted prior to the "bind" call due to the positioning of the Highlander loosehead. Hoffman is going through his pre-engage checklist and clearly wasn't pleased with the prop's positioning, "I've given you the mark...there's no excuse to go head to head...there's your space, go for the space." It's the second half but never too late to show control and a concern for player safety at the scrum. 

Once he's satisfied the scrum comes together, ball goes in and is quickly won by the Chiefs but shortly after goes to ground. Take a look at the Chiefs tighthead for a clue as to where this scrum is going. The prop's bind is on the arm/shoulder of his opposite and it immediately comes down on the tricep which takes away his opponent's base/stability. It's intended to give the tighthead leverage and his opposite knows to drop the scrum rather than give ground this close to his ingoal. The commentators and every other rugby player want to see the ball out at this point but safety always trumps (8.3d) entertainment when a scrum has collapsed (20.4h). Hoffmann comes across the scrum, discusses something with his AR, and goes in to warn the props about angle (driving straight) and binding (on the back not the arm). What I find interesting is that he tells them he's relying on the AR's call if needed and goes back to the scrumhalf's side. I would have been inclined to stay on the far side despite the scrum being so close to the touchline as that was the side causing trouble.

The reset brings more of the same with the Chief's tighthead improperly binding and this time his flanker joins the front row by releasing his bind and joining alongside him to take on the Highlander's looshead. It's a sneaky move (20.1e) which can only be seen by the AR given Hoffman's positioning. The balls position and the movement of the scrum make it difficult to tell what effect this play has on the outcome but my guess is very little which is why they allow play to continue. A conversation should be had with both flankers to keep them bound and ultimately out of the front row. 

The IRB's website provides a great overview of the trial scrum sequence. More to come on checklists and the scrum.