Joined: Fri Feb 05, 2021 12:28 pm Posts: 304 Member for 1 year
I see it’s been confirmed that from 29 th January scrums are back at all levels of the game. So guess Fev will be last time bulk of first team squad will be playing without them .
Now if we could only get rid of the 6 again rule ….
Joined: Sun Apr 24, 2011 7:28 pm Posts: 17012 Member for 11 years
Kirmudgeonlyisback wrote:
I see it’s been confirmed that from 29 th January scrums are back at all levels of the game. So guess Fev will be last time bulk of first team squad will be playing without them .
Now if we could only get rid of the 6 again rule ….
Even though scrums are "uncontested", they punctuate the game and give the chance for some different plays. Under last seasons rules and with "six again", the game was becoming boring. Yes, it was quicker but, IMO poorer for the changes.
Joined: Wed Jan 24, 2007 9:09 pm Posts: 6073 Location: Over there Member for 15 years
Glad to see them back. Looks like rugby with a scrum, and I'd rather have a scrum with a stop-clock than watch someone stand around watching the time tick down.
EVENTUALLY, WE'LL WIN SOMETHING, ,MAYBE, IF I'M STILL ALIVE THEN
Joined: Sat Apr 28, 2018 7:07 am Posts: 1268 Member for 4 years
Not missed them at all in their current format ,having said that they’ve been a joke and a source of ridicule for some time now ,what is the point of an uncontested scrum , poor way to restart the game IMO ,may as well just hand ball over for a tap play . Now contested scrums ,now your talking ,but as with everything else in this world it’s been dumbed down to the point of irrelevance , but hey ho whatever format the RL go with I’ll just be happy to see some rugby .
Joined: Wed Oct 13, 2004 5:37 pm Posts: 33539 Location: Poodle Power! Member for 18 years
Kettykat wrote:
Not missed them at all in their current format ,having said that they’ve been a joke and a source of ridicule for some time now ,what is the point of an uncontested scrum , poor way to restart the game IMO ,may as well just hand ball over for a tap play . Now contested scrums ,now your talking ,but as with everything else in this world it’s been dumbed down to the point of irrelevance , but hey ho whatever format the RL go with I’ll just be happy to see some rugby .
I agree.
Nobody wants us to end up with the monstrosities you get in Union but they need to be relevant.
It’s not even difficult. There is only one rule that really matters in my opinion and that is that the ball is fed into the middle of the scrum that is set and not the S/R. it’s that more than anything else that allows the scrum to be contested at some level.
I don’t really care if the scrum is a bit crooked or the ball is promoted slightly to the FR of the scrum half’s choice.
For me I expect and want the team feeding the scrum to get possession 90% of the time, the last thing I want is teams forcing scrums to get possession back, nightmare. I think what we want or at least I do is that 10% of jeopardy, that outside chance in a tight game, that almighty shove in the dying moments that pays off.
I don’t want scrums like you get in Union but if they come back they need to have some validity. A bit like the 40/20, it’s only got an outside chance but occasionally it pays off. The 40/20 works because it’s more difficult than it looks and if done really badly it backfire in a big way, hence it’s used sparingly. Scrums should be similar imho.
Joined: Wed Oct 13, 2004 5:37 pm Posts: 33539 Location: Poodle Power! Member for 18 years
PopTart wrote:
Why don't you want scrums like union? They do exactly what you describe.
You're just being contrary now, there are so many technical infringements in them that a Phd is required, there are also 2 extra players.
What I described and you know exactly what I meant was literally a quickly formed 6 man scrum with the ball lobbed roughly down the tunnel. Sod it if it's slightly crooked or one team pushed slightly too soon or the odd leg is sticking out or the feed inevitably favours the S/H's team, just do it, that is nothing like a RU scrum.
What I and most people don't want is for scrums to become a major tactical part of the game, what most people I speak to want is a scrum that could occasionally favour the other team, mildly contested if that helps.
Joined: Tue May 27, 2003 3:21 pm Posts: 18720 Location: educating League Freak on all things rugby league Member for 19 years
The only benefit as I see is if teams actually try to exploit the space that having 6 players tied up for 1 tackle presents.
Sadly very few teams in SL seem to want to do this.
There have been some outstanding tries scored in the NRL in recent years off the back of teams having the mentality to chance their arm and have a genuine attacking strategy from the scrum.
SL seem all too content to just hit a 1 up drive which basically has no impact on the game and negates the need for a scrum.
I would expect though particularly from the first 2 performances of the year WP seems like he is encouraging the team to play a more expansive game which may see Trinity break the mould and actually play with their eyes up and take advantage o the extra space every now and again.
Unofficially the most boring poster on Cherry and White.
Joined: Sun Feb 23, 2014 5:43 pm Posts: 3598 Member for 8 years
The scrum is an integral part of the game of rugby league. It allows the bigger forwards to rest and I have seen Wakefield win the ball against the head on several occasions. It also takes six players out of the defensive line allowing teams to work on moves to take this into consideration. If you want to improve the game I would look at ensuring that the play the ball involves the foot rather than just rolling it back.