Is there anything more useless on the rugby paddock than the ‘Hit’. So many things have to be right: technique, alignment, the referee’s calls, footing, and so on. Not to mention, who’s been smoking chicken’s entrails (available as a “Kearns Rotisserie,” apparently).
Where this ‘Hit’ came from is a mystery to me. When I played, we formed up and then things got lively once the ball was fed, which seemed to work quite well.
Also, I remember the ball going down the centre and hookers striking. So the Hit doesn’t come from the rules and could almost be penalised under the charging sanctions.
The point is that scrum resets are a blight, and their cause is contrary to the specific intention of the rules, which state “the purpose of the scrum is to restart play quickly, safely and fairly after a minor infringement or a stoppage.” (Law 20).
So the call must be to eliminate the ‘hit’ (along with that painful three step call) and we can eliminate 90 percent or more of resets.
The rugby union scrum is a wonderful thing: the power, noise, and steam can be a majestic sight. As it is an opportunity to open up the field, we need to keep it. But we should be insisting that the administrators and referees look after our game by eradicating this waste of time so we can have an more exciting form of the game.
Join The Roar rugby editor Christy Doran, former Wallaby Matt Toomua and a cast of regular and special guests as they look at the biggest issues in the game on The Roar Rugby Podcast. If you’re looking for great odds on the next game check out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.
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