The Rugby Scrum

The marvel of the rugby union scrum is truly one of rugby’s unique elements. Sixteen of the biggest players on the field smash together and push in a desperate bid for the ball. In professional level rugby fixtures this can means that often two tonnes are colliding together to contest the rugby scrum.

In rugby the ball can only go forward if it is kicked or carried. If a ball goes forward off a player, either by a forward pass, dropped or a knocked-on, play resets with a scrum. A rugby scrum also occurs when the ball is trapped in a ruck or maul or if a player is accidentally offside. A team can also choose to take a scrum when they are awarded a penalty.

The rugby union scrum looks like a big huddle where the eight forwards from each side link up in three rows and push against the eight forwards from the other team. The half back rolls the ball in at the front where the two teams meet and his team tries to kick the ball back to the rear of the scrum where they can then pick it up and use it.

The Front Row

The ‘front row’ of each team smashes against each other at the front of the rugby scrum, with the rest of their forwards pushing behind them. The front row is made up a prop on each side with a ‘hooker’ in the middle. The hooker is the player who ‘hooks’ the ball back to his team when the half back rolls it in. He also throws the ball in at the lineout.

The Second Row

Behind the front row is the second row. This is where the two locks take their place in the rugby scrum. The five players are known as the ‘tight five’ and most of the scrum's power is generated by these players.

The Flankers and No. 8: The Back Row

Completing the rugby union scrum are the three loose forwards. There is a flanker on each side of the two locks and the number eight is at the back of the scrum ready to receive the ball as it gets kicked to the back by his team.

The scrum in rugby union is completely contested. Referees watch carefully to make sure both team engage at the same time and bind correctly, and try to make sure the halfback puts the ball into the rugby union scrum fairly straight. From there a torrid affair begins where both teams push and twist trying to force their way over the ball or to disrupt the other team.

A lot of pressure goes through the spines of the tight five, and especially the front row. Because of this, specialists are required for the front row positions, and if a team cannot provide enough front row specialists at any point of the game then rugby scrums become ‘uncontested’, for safety’s sake.

Due to all the different technical elements involved in a rugby union scrum there are usually a lot of scrum resets as the referee tries to bring all the different elements together at the right time, including how square the front rows are to each other, the teams are pushing straight, are the correct distance apart, the binding of all 16 forwards is correct, and that the halfback is putting the ball in straight. Furthermore, because of the force expended and the fact that rugby is a winter sport members of the front row might slip over, causing another reset.

The All Blacks rugby team takes on the England scrum. Greg Sommerville prepares to engage with Andrew Sheridan.

Anything can happen after the rugby union scrum. The opposing team can disrupt it enough to steal possession, cause a scrum reset, or even be rewarded a penalty. However, should the scrum go according to plan for the team in possession, the ball will find itself safely under the feet of the number eight. If the rugby scrum is moving forward then the number eight may choose to keep the ball in the scrum there while his team moves valuable inches up the field. In rare cases the scrum may even manage to push over the try line and somebody places on the ball to score a try. This is called a pushover try.

However, in most cases the ball will need to be taken from the scrum and used by the team in possession. This usually happens one of two ways. The half back takes it from under the legs of the number eight or the number eight picks it up. The team may try and run the ball or up or kick it up field.

The rugby scrum is a contentious issue in the modern game. Rugby purists decry the depowering of the scrum and point to it as a point of difference between other sports, not to mention its importance in keeping rugby a game for all sizes. If you take away the importance of the scrum, the need for large bulky props will be removed. Also, reducing the importance of the scrum will result in the game of rugby turning into rugby league.

However, in the modern-day, television led game there is much debate around whether the rugby union scrum takes away from the game as a spectacle. In fact, there has been the recent addition of a ‘scrum clock’ to many televised games. The scrum clock measures the time spent on scrums, particularly through scrum resets.

Even though the scrum has been completely depowered in rugby league, it remains as a tool to tie up some of the games bigger players to create space and attacking opportunities for the faster backs.

The History of the Rugby Scrum

The rugby union scrum has continued to evolve along with the other elements of rugby union. It began as barely a more structured ruck without set positions. Around the turn of the 20^th century it evolved into a 2-3-2 formation, played with seven players. By 1950 3-2-3 and 3-3-2 formations had also been trialled, before South Africa led the move into the current 3-4-1 set up. Since then positions within the scrum have become more specialised, such as the distinction between the tight head and loose head props and allowing the number 8 to detach from the scrum holding the ball.

In recent years one of the biggest changes to the rugby union scrum rules has been the introduction of ‘touch, crouch, pause, engage’ commands from the referee. For safety reasons the new commands, initiated in 2007, control the distance between the two front rows as well as trying to ensure they engage at the same time.

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I am based in New Zealand and enjoy writing about rugby, movies and music and am also interested in property investment and travel. I operate a rugby blog, a site dedicated to Tarantino movies and merchandise and contribute to a Property Investment Tips site.