Scrum (rugby)
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In the sports of rugby union and rugby league, a scrummage or scrum is a way of restarting the game, either after an accidental infringement or when the ball has gone out of play (in rugby league only). Scrums occur more often, and are of greater importance, in union than in league.
In both sports, a scrum is formed by the players who are designated forwards binding together in three rows. The scrum then 'engages' with the opposition team so that the player's heads are interlocked with those of the other side's front row. The scrum half from the team that did not infringe then throws the ball into the tunnel created in the space between the two sets of front rowers' legs. Both teams may then try to compete for the ball by trying to hook the ball backwards with their feet.
A key difference between the two sports is that in rugby union both sets of forwards try to push the opposition backwards whilst competing for the ball and thus the team that did not throw the ball into the scrum have some chance of winning the possession. In practice, however, the team with the 'put-in' usually keeps possession. Forwards in rugby league do not push in the scrum, often feed the ball directly under the legs of their own front row rather than into the tunnel, and the team with the put-in almost always retains possession.
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[edit] History
The word "scrummage" is a modification of "scrimmage" (which form of the word was previously used in rugby and continues to be used in American and Canadian football), which in turn derives from or is a cognate of "skirmish".
Originally there was no distinction between an awarded or "set" scrum (today officially called simply "scrummage") and a "loose" scrum (today officially called a ruck). The side awarded a scrimmage simply had one player put the ball on the ground and let go of it; there was no requirement of a tunnel, although players were required to be onside, i.e. not ahead of the ball. The most common way for a scrimmage/scrummage to be so awarded (there being no referee to actually award one, but as the rules specified) would be the occurrence of a stalemate between the player with the ball (who would declare "held") and opponents holding him (who would call, "Have it down"). A scrummage could also occur as a ruck today, in which opposing players simply close around a ball already on the ground.
Although the rules of playing the ball were different as to whether it was in scrimmage or not, the early rules did not draw a clear distinction between players in or out of scrimmage, and did not require players in scrimmage to bind. Early accounts of play show that in fact they could not have been bound, for they would try to work their way through the pack while attempting to get to and dribble the ball.
The early rules of rugby, even after recodification as "Laws of the Rugby Union" (the term "laws" having been borrowed from the Football Association), said the object of players in the scrummage was to kick the ball towards their opponents' goal line. This provision remained in the laws for approximately 20 years after practice had changed in the late 19th century.
The modern scrummage and ruck, the rugby league play-the-ball, and the American football snap and scrimmage (later adopted by Canadian football) were all derivatives of the early scrimmage, and responsive in different ways to problems encountered in the way the rules regarding it were written and administered.
[edit] Rules of a scrum
All professional and amateurs who play RFU are meant to follow a new set of rules that are designed to prevent a larger pack from charging down a weaker opposition pack. The referee controls how the scrum begins with the commands crouch, touch, pause, engage. On the command "crouch" both of the packs crouch ready to engage, they are then told to "touch" which means to get hold of the opposition so that they cannot charge them down. The "pause" command is meant to to allow time for the packs to become properly bound to avoid injury. On the "engage" command the scrum proper begins. If a scrum wheels more than ninety degrees it is stopped and begun again, with possession of the ball this time given to the scrum half from the opposite team.
[edit] Rugby union
Before a scrum is formed, the eight forwards from each team bind together in three rows (three players in the front row, two in the second row, and the remaining players behind them). The front row is composed of the two prop forwards (tighthead and loosehead) supporting the hooker; the second row forwards are more often referred to as locks; and the back row is made up of the two flankers (sometimes wing forwards) with the number 8 (named after the jersey number of the starter at that position) between them.
The front row are usually the stockiest members of the scrum. Hookers are normally smaller than props but are also fitter and thinner. Props and locks both need to be strong, but the positions differ in their main criteria for selection. Since props are more directly involved in wrestling for position and channelling the drive forward, strength and weight are of prime importance for them. Strength is also important for locks, since they also push; however, height is more important for them than it is for front-row players. Locks are virtually always the tallest players on the team; they are used as the primary contestants for possession in another phase of the game, the line-out. Flankers and the number 8 do less of the pushing in the scrum, and need more speed, because their task is to break quickly and cover the opposing half-backs if the opponents win the scrum.
The two packs of forwards approach to within a short distance of each other and crouch. On a signal from the referee the front rows engage with each other so that their heads are interlocked with those of the other side's front row. The referee often signals this with a succession of verbal commands, the commands are "crouch and hold", "touch" and "engage", the requirement of the props to touch their opposite number with their outside or free hand being intended to reduce the force at which the front rows engage. The requirement to "touch" was earlier limited to under 19 rugby only but was standardized for all levels of rugby as of January 1, 2007. The scrum half from the team that did not infringe then throws the ball into the tunnel thus formed, and the hookers (and sometimes the props) compete for possession by trying to hook the ball backwards with their feet, while the entire pack tries to push the opposing pack backwards. The side that wins possession usually transfers the ball to the back of the scrum, where it is picked up either by the number 8, or by the scrum half, who will either pass it out to the fly-half and the other backs, or kick ahead over the heads of the scrum, then running forward to put their forwards onside. On other occasions the forwards will hold the ball in the scrum and try to push the opposition backwards.
Recent research has found that 40% of the power of the scrum is produced in the front row itself. In the modern game, packs weigh in at an excess of 800Kgs.
It is the scrum, and also the line-out, that gives rise to the simplified explanation of rugby union: "The forwards are there to get the ball back, and the backs are there to get the ball forward".
A team with a dominant scrum can tire the opposition's forwards, and disrupting the opposition's scrum will ensure that any ball they get is of poor quality, whilst ensuring good ball for their own team.
Scrums are the most dangerous phase in rugby, since a collapse or improper engage can lead to a front row player damaging or even breaking his neck. For this reason, only trained players may play in the front row to help avoid injuries. If a team is without sufficient specialist props, for example due to injury or sin-binning, all scrums may be "uncontested scrums". In this situation, the packs engage, but do not push, and the team that still puts the ball into the scrum must win it without effort.
If a penalty is awarded for a more serious offense, the team to which it is awarded may elect to have a scrum rather than take a penalty kick or free kick. This is usually called for if the attacking team is close to the opposition's goal-line, and want to wrap up all of the defending forwards in one place to give the backs more space — or if they believe they can force the scrum over the goal-line and score a "pushover" try where the ball gets picked up by the number 8 at the back of the scrum, or by the scrum half where the ball is placed straight down to avoid the opposition.
Recently, a leading consultant surgeon in the UK has called for the ban of contested scrums, for the main reason that they are too dangerous. [1] Many supporters of the contested scrum, though, have argued in favour of it, saying that without the contested scrum the sport effectively becomes rugby league, which uses uncontested scrums partly to avoid possible injuries.
[edit] Rugby league
A rugby league forward pack consists of six players: the loose-head prop, tight-head prop, hooker, two second row forwards, and the lock or loose forward. The scrum looks basically like a union scrum with the two flankers removed.
The main purpose of the scrum in rugby league is simply to remove the forwards from the play for a period, thus creating more space for back play. This is intended to give advantage to the side that is awarded the scrum. Thus scrums in rugby league differ from those in rugby union, being simpler and less time consuming. It is very rare (but not completely unknown) for a team to win possession against the head.
There is almost always no pushing from either forward pack, and therefore no need for a referee to spend time ensuring that the scrum comes together properly: the two forward packs will usually bind together on their own and lean against each other, forming the tunnel of the scrum.
The ball is then rolled between the legs of the loose-head prop by his scrum-half directly to the back of the scrum: the scrum-half either then runs around and collects the ball himself, or the loose forward detaches from the back of the scrum to collect the ball.
Previously, rugby league scrummages were competitive, as in rugby union. The main reason for the change to uncontested scrums was that during the 1970s scrum penalties for feeding the second row, packs moving off the "mark" or collapsing the scrum were seen as a major factor behind falling attendances. The ability of teams to win a game purely on goals from scrum penalties was also seen as unfair. In an effort to reverse falling attendances and improve the game's finances, rule changes were made that greatly reduced the number of scrums (through the introduction of the "turnover" after six tackles and after kicking into touch on the full) and authorities ceased enforcing rules about feeding the scrum and halfbacks could thus feed the second row unpunished.
Prior to 1983, the loose forward would very frequently stand out of the scrum, leaving a five-man scrum. In an effort to provide more space for backline play, it was decreed that loose forwards must always bind into the scrum. If a back is sent off, five-man scrums still occur as the loose forward will typically play in the backline.
The provision that scrums must be competitive still remains in the laws of the game, but it is usually ignored with the blessing of the authorities. Occasionally, it is suggested that the law be applied again, or that the scrum should be abolished altogether and replaced with a tap kick, but so far these suggestions have carried no weight with the various governing bodies.
