When I was a young second-rower playing for the Carlingford Redbacks, I was kept in the team for one reason only: I knew my way around a scrum.
Supported by my teammates, when the drive was on, I would often hook a ball out of a tunnel against the feed.
My teammates often joked that I had prehensile feet. I couldn’t run, had no ball handling skills, found it impossible to read the run of play and was a complete drop-kick when it came to the drop-kick. I still had some value because, way back in those days when giants still walked upon the earth, the scrum was central to the game of rugby league.
Long ago, in the dark ages up until the 1980s, the scrum actually meant something. The reason many front-rowers looked a little like the Hulk on steroids was all down to the scrum.
The reason that second-rowers had thin heads, cauliflower ears, and fat legs, was all down to the scrum. But that is a thing of the past. In the modern game the scrum has become a joke.
Like tits on a bull – everyone knows why scrums occur but they are, nonetheless, entirely useless.
Now old-timers wince whenever we see a scrum pack down. It’s become all about going through the motions. There is no contest in a modern scrum. Where once the fine art of packing down and then taking the strain preceded a genuine contest of strength and skill; now the scrum is simply an excuse for a breather and a bit of a natter.
The scrum has evolved into a break in play where all the players can spend a few moments discussing the weather and maybe what pub they will visit when the contest is over.
One of the most satisfying sounds in rugby league was once the sound of two packs of big men thumping together as a scrum was set. Now all you hear is the faint whisper of polite conversation. So why bother with this ongoing farce?
I can remember about three instances in the last several years where a scrum has gone against the feed. It is no longer a contest.
In the modern game, when a scrum is lost, it is due to a brain explosion on behalf of a halfback who has failed to dribble a ball under the legs of his second rowers (while all the forwards in the pack are having a quiet rest break).
I do understand the arguments against the scrum; I just disagree with them all.
Everyone thought it was a bit unattractive to see a scrum pack down and collapse six times in a row. Or be forced of a mark and wander around a field like a drunken elephant. Or be repacked repeatedly because the feed was biased. But the current situation is even more unattractive.
Instead of a violent coming together of big men the scrum has turned into a polite little tea party. Not just a joke but an embarrassing one at that.
Why have rules that are no longer enforced? Why keep the scrum in the game if it is not serving its original purpose? Or any purpose at all?
Scrums no longer wander off a mark, or collapse, because they no longer do anything but allow for a break in play prior to forcing the forwards to come together for a spot of polite conversation.
Nobody ever gets pinged for feeding a scrum incorrectly, wandering off a mark, collapsing a scrum, or failing to bind, because scrums no longer serve any apparent purpose.
Once upon a time much of the appeal of the NRL was to witness the battle of strength between big men packing down and giving it their all. But that has simply disappeared. There is barely any real need for behemoths in the modern game.
It no longer matters what sort of weight might be behind a scrum because they simply don’t pack-down anymore. Grunt has turned into mild grimace.
Instead of being focused on being able to exert exquisite pressure, every member of a modern pack is looking to be able to break as quickly as possible and return to the line. To return to being half-arsed back-rowers.
I don’t mean that we have to return to the bad old days of the late 70s when often half of a game would be devoted to herding a pack of unruly players around a park. But surely we can return to a situation where the scrum actually means something?
Surely we can require that six men bind to the scrum. Surely we can require that the feed be honest. Surely we can require that there be an actual contest of strength.
With two refs on the park there are now enough eyes to be able to wrangle the players. Plus we don’t have to fall into the trap that so queered the game in the 70s. Instead we can be strict with the rules and simply award a penalty, at once, if a scrum is pulled down, wanders, or is fed incorrectly.
We don’t have to return to the endless repacking and tending of every scrum – but we do have to recognise that the current situation is simply stupid. Without a real scrum the game is less than it once was. And why retain the scrum if it is nothing more than an ornament to the game?
Surely it is time to either piss or get off the pot? We need to either eliminate the scrum or start enforcing a few of the rules regarding pack, bind and feed.
Terence Eastman
Guest
In previous days, a hooker was called a hooker for a reason - he hooked the ball. Especially in League, where scrums could easily be replaced by a tap play the ball, but also in Union, where the ball is increasingly finding its way straight to the second row, a hooker should have to prove his worth & hook the ball before any other player touches it; if he can do it against the head then BIG UP to him. I watch a lot of Rugby League on tv & the commentators are constantly praising the likes of St Helens' James Roby as one of the best hookers in the world. No he isn't ! He's a brilliant forward & a brilliant player but he's never hooked a ball in his life. Maybe hookers should be renamed 'Centre Props' !'
Jeff Morris
Guest
How do you know if the game misses him? Did it tell you? Do you have a unique ability to communicate with the game?
AJL.
Roar Pro
Time to abolish the scrum. It's a relic like unlimited tackles best left to the past.
fix the scrums
Guest
Either fix the scrums and make it a contest or get rid of them. At the moment its just an excuse to have a beak for a bit.
geoff evans
Guest
I agree with you about the scrums but would like to see the Referees make the players bind tightly into the scrums. All the scrums now don't make the second row bind together and the lock just puts his hands on the 2nd row backs and does not even put his head into the scrum. Another thing I would like to see happen is making the players play the ball with their foot.90% of players just step over and make no effort to play it with their foot. The NRL brought this in at the start of last season but stopped after about 2-3 rounds.
Yoda
Guest
Wow did you mention a contest for possession,sounds like a game played in heaven,yes leagues predictability is its downfall,long live Union!!!
James Ditchfield
Roar Rookie
I've seen this argument time and again, and have never agreed with the idea of bringing back contested scrums. On a side note, let me firstly strongly disagree with your claim that the front-rowers of yesteryear were more physically intimidating than they are now, because that's simply false. In fact, the props from back then would be outmatched physically by just about anyone on the park these days, by a number of players in every position. which was unheard of back then. Contested scrums have nothing to do with physical development and adding size. In fact, it would be more detrimental due to the injuries they cause. I enjoy scrums now because they allow teams to utilise set pieces and hopefully create attacking opportunities. And if the forward packs lock down from 8-13 (sometimes a back will jump in there, with the forward going back into the defensive line) it creates an intriguing battle between the back lines of both teams. Never mind the fact that nobody in rugby league today is properly trained in the techniques of scrummaging, and so it would just result in more injuries. Not to mention that it would halt the momentum of a game and waste even more time.
Somethings rotten
Guest
Bring back the scrum for sure. It would add more uncertainty. Would also like to see unlimited tackle counts reinstated also. RL has become too formulaic, like 50 over cricket.
TingoTango
Guest
Well GWS the game has not missed you and it has seemed to be doing well without you and the rubbish that was the old contested scrums. Nothing but a complete mess that at times were dangerous. Half the time you did not know what the penalty is for. For me get rid of them altogether. The only issue then is to rename the positions on the field.
Bill larkin
Guest
Yup. Trying to fix something that doesn't need fixing.
Crosscoder
Roar Guru
I watched the highlights half hour ago GWSingapore.Some good well constructed tries, but some woeful defence in others. The crowd stayed behind ,but it was a very small crowd to be fair. I'd prefer to see games like the Broncos v Canberra,and the Cowboys v Titans.Great hard earned tries with committed defence and close scores .And indeed the Brumbies of old sides were worth watching. Scrums sorry ,one of the reasons I found ru not my cup of tea ,not knowing what the penalty was for,and the scrum just about exclusively going with the feed. .Please no going back to pre limited tackle rules.where bash and barge was a truly in vogue.Teams in possession held on to the ball like a limpet mine and had stars to do further damage.circa Dragons.Now we get on of the most unpredictable comps on this planet. Crowds cheering teams in the NRL at half and full time, sometimes both teams ,happens.Without the need for .geometrically perfect scrums.
GWSingapore
Guest
I largely lost interest in rugby league after the changes to scrumming. I thought the core of the game was lost. It was not rugby league to me anymore. The forwards just became "big backs." SupeRugby is the nearest thing to old style rugby league, particularly as played here last night between The Stormers and the Sunwolves. Ten tries scored with open and running play. Forwards and backs with different roles and fulfilling these well. The crowd stayed behind and applauded both teams for their competitive effort. It would be a wonderful thing if a promoter hired some recently retired rugby league and rugby union players and staged a one off rugby league match under the pre-1967 limited tackle rules. Baseball does so with an historic reenactment game each year at Cooperstown. No harm in dreaming!
Craigo
Guest
I agree VH. One of the worst things about Rugby Union is the Scrum.
kk
Roar Pro
Crosscoder posts are synonymous with commonsense and clarity This is #9,801 with which I am in total agreement. The Roar should put a keg on to celebrate #10,000.
Crosscoder
Roar Guru
When scrums were scrums, it was for me as....... boring to watch as was striking for the ball in the PTB.The game is about attack, defence ,creativity, athleticism,ball handling ability now. Technicalities revolving around scrummage is like watching paint dry.Yes I can understand a hooker's skills when scrums were scrums. Even when scrums are formed properly, the win 90% out of a 100 usually goes with the feed.That can be called predictable. The game can get ball contests with one on one strips, contest for the high ball at least most times on the 6th tackle,ability to dislodge the ball from the attacker's grasp with a decent tackle.intercepts.tackling players into touch or in the in goal.Regain possession with 40/20 kicks,griubber kicks,banana kicks, chip kicks. There are still decent number of ways to gain possession in addition to the usual predictable handover. The game is nowhere near perfect, but is eons ahead of what it was years ago as a spectacle.The tries scored these days by wingers with only cms of space to score in the corners a result of swift ball movement,athletic players and certainly not well constructed scrums, where the result on many occasions was a reset or penalty.
Birdy
Guest
In an article the other day about how RL almost merged with AFL the firsf thing they looked at was getting rid of the scrum. In fact, i think it also said that Dally Messenger suggested it when the game first kicked off. In the latter days of the scrum , the most sensible rule was introduced, 1 feed 1 result. A team got possession or penalised. It failed as it put more pressure on the ref. Sound familiar. The 1 thing you didn't mention James, nor did any of the posters or is it ever mentioned , is how unsafe the modern scrum is. In fact downrite dangerous for a properly formed scrum to put a push on against an unprepared, untrained opposition.
up in the north
Roar Rookie
While it would be nice to see contested scrums again, I fear it's too late to put the genie back in the bottle. I'm pretty sure I saw a number 8 feed a scrum in a recent game with the fullback playing at lock - odd to say the least.
Lovey
Guest
I agree, make it a true contest for possession or drop it altogether.
The Barry
Roar Guru
I get nostalgic for the scrum occasionally but just satisfy the urge on YouTube. The reality wasn't as good as our rose coloured memories allow. Constant repacks. Constant penalties. Feet across, loose arms, second row feeds, collapsing, pushing early, screwing the scrum. The games moved on. Can you imagine all that in this era of video refs and super slo mo replays? I don't understand why more teams don't put on set plays from scrums though. You've got six defenders out of the line. There was one game earlier this season where the team feeding the scrum were down by a couple with a minute to go. They got s scrum and just had a forward hitting the ball up from 5/8 and then spent the rest of the set throwing the ball around like madnen against a full defensive line. Mind boggling.
Magnus M. Østergaard
Roar Guru
Nah. I don't think we need to bring it back. The game has developed far and away above that stage.