Current Trends in Top Flight Rugby

[Burgs]

A couple of interesting observations of the code from a Coaching newsletter I get:

Current Trends in Top Flight Rugby

Six Nations, Super 14s and Heineken Cup are showcases for the latest coach thinking.
Some of the plays and tactics are simply old ideas in new clothes, others are more challenging.
Dan Cottrell looks at some of the old and new from the Six Nations you can use for your team.

Throwing In

When the hooker draws back the ball before throwing in, it acts as a trigger for the jumpers, unfortunately for both sides.
To avoid the opposition team anticipating the throw, hookers are using a couple of tactics.

1. Throwing with a very short back lift.
This means the ball is drawn back to about level with the eyebrows, before being launched to the front of the lineout.

2. Drawing back the ball slowly and releasing at any stage of the draw back. The opposition jumpers will not know when to go up.

Lean Forward in Scrums

Taller props have struggled somewhat with the new “touch” laws on the engagement.
Because of the distance to engagement has been reduced, they cannot get their hips in line with their knees and are finding themselves compromised in the scrum.
It is noticeable that some teams are now holding back the props before the engagement.
The second and back rows are acting as a counter balance, pulling back on the props, so the props can lean forward on the balls of their feet.
At the back of the scrum, the number eight pulls back on the second row to help their balance.
It is not a new idea.
Mike Cron, the All Black scrummaging guru, has been advocating this style of scrummaging for some time.
Some under 18 sides have also being using it, because the law has been around at this level for a number of years.

[.X.]

At the back of the scrum, the number eight pulls back on the second row to help their balance.

Scott Fava has been doing this all season

[Vanilla Ice]

As has David Lyons who looks like he's pulling people away from his favourite buffet item.

[pruc]

At the back of the scrum, the number eight pulls back on the second row to help their balance.
It is not a new idea.

isnt that wot every number 8 is taught at school boy rugby??

[Burgs]

Only in more recent times pruc.
The article is "current trends", not "new ideas"

[blindsid3]

isnt that wot every number 8 is taught at school boy rugby??

This requires a bit more explanation methinks...

the new scrum laws for Open players are further implementation of the under 19 laws which have been in play since about 1985ish (help me someone else who was playing U19s back then)


so Pruc will be right - the schoolboy No 8 will be taught to pull back.

Until last year when the schoolboy number 8 grewed up he didn't have to do that so much anymore, because the scrums were contested from the engagement (!crash!) and he didn't want that to slow down.

Now the scrum has been depowered like a schoolboy scrum, the No 8 is back to his (h)old tricks, so to speak.

[Burgs]

'85 sounds about right blindy.
Certainly wasn't a feature of WA Schoolboys in the 80's and early 90's though.
So yes, probably has been taught for a while and currently too.
Maybe Props were taught better balance back then?