Scrum Law changes

[AndyS]

Thought the following was interesting:
http://www.planet-rugby.com/Story/0,...871157,00.html

[prop53]

This was introduced for school boy rugby many years ago, to prevent injuries some serious. If you are coached correctly in the front row they should be no need for such rule changes, apart as i believe for insurance purposes. The engagement is not the big concern on the field its the binding,head to hip level, and being square that should be addressed if this is correct then the engagement is correct.

[jazza93]

hey
i think the scrum changes are not much different they just go in softer. the stronger team is still going to win the scrum its all fair and probly for the gd.

[frontrow]

Good article andys, always a place for the big fellas on a rugby pitch, thats nice to know...

[RuckNMaul]

all this talk of soft engagments is realy giving me the ......

do you realy think any front rower is gonna be going in any less harder than he can??
of course not.
Will this law stop you from engaging as well and as hard as you can??
of course not.

prop 53 has hit the nail on the head
INSURANCE.
in this letigious environment that we all live in these days the IRB has to be seen to be reducing risks in all aspects of such a full contact sport.
This Messuring stick approch is the only way they can do this and keep the contest as it is, HARD

[frontrow]

I still admit i am not won over by the new laws yet, but after watching the first round believe it may not be as bad as i first thought...I still believe it will advantage poor props by taking away the initial challenge, but in saying that, it will also provide an even better challenge to be able to control the scrum from the engagement, with better technique often winning out over sheer strength...So, for me , the jury is still deliberating but should reach a verdict soon...

[TIM]

Just like to say thanks to refs thanks for slowing the game down
We pay good money to see the big boys go head to head i know its for safety but if you ask them they would rather the old style i bet

[Ecky]

Just like to say thanks to refs thanks for slowing the game down
We pay good money to see the big boys go head to head i know its for safety but if you ask them they would rather the old style i bet

I'm pretty sure it's not referees who create the new laws - I think the IRB gets involved at some stage. And I'm also pretty sure that high-level coaches and administrators, as well as refs, get consulted.

Then the laws are created - IRB again I believe- then the refs are required to impose them.

Also, as well, too: Sure, bring back the old-style scrums, as long as everyone who packs down in them signs a dsicalimer that they won't blame the ref if they get injured in one.

[frontrow]

That is why we pay over the top insurance premiums at the start of the year, in case of injury...As i have said before, the only time you can lay the blame on a ref when it comes to scrumming, is when they are truly negligent, not due to accidents or slips, but if they muddle a call or call wrong, or let the situation get out of hand with one pack absolutely monstering another...Those things can be controlled with good authority from the ref, but as always accidents will always happen, and this is where i actually agree with the new laws, in that players having to touch thereby limiting the distance between and actually engaging from closer takes a lot of the chance of slipping out of the contest, while maintaining a relatively flat-backed platform at the engagement, also aiding in the stability of the scrum....So from a safety aspect i can see the benefits, but i can also see tims point of view in that it has slowed it down a bit, but given a few weeks this will be ironed out i believe...And it's true, ask any old timer prop, or hard nut prop, and they will agree that you haven't packed into a real scrum until you have hit from a distance...

[Nick]

Im not a 100% sold yet but Baxter and Tialata (Hurricanes) seem keen on the new scrum laws but time will tell I guess - the Crusaders and Blues game the scrums were relatively quick but both packs a fairly strong, it does seem when there is a less then strong pack out there all sorts of games are played, and one more level to the engagement allows the opportunity for more shenanigans

Dodgy bindings, screwing in, wheeling and late put ins by the scrum half to name but a few cant all be blamed on the ref. Lets be honest if theres a week pack out there that scrum will be reset and reset or worse we dont have one at all and then there is a 50 / 50 penalty...