Scrum Explained

Played by teams of 15, rugby is a full-contact sport that can trace its origins to 1823 to Rugby private school in England. From such humble beginnings, rugby is now played in many countries around the globe, with the best national teams competing for the World Cup every four years. Rugby matches include a number of set plays, such including line outs, rucks, mauls and scrums.

About Scrums

A scrum is a phase of rugby play in which possession of the ball is contested by the eight "forwards" from each team. The players in the front row interlock and lean against each other and the two sides push against each other. The ball is put into the center of the scum, usually by the player known as the scrum half. The hookers--the players in the center of the front row--use their feet to contest the ball, which is then channeled using the players feet--no hands are allowed--to the rear of the scrum to be passed out to the backs so that play can continue.

Awarding a Scrum

Scrums take place when there is an infringement of the rules; for example, when a player is deemed offside, the ball is passed forward or there is a "knock on," meaning the ball is mishandled. The team awarded the scrum, which is the side that did not break the rules, is responsible for putting the ball into the scrum to restart play. Although the ball can be won by either side, it is more common for the team that put the ball in to the scrum win possession.

Positions In The Scrum

Because of the demands and potential dangers of scrums, the forwards tend to be specialists who have been trained to play in specific positions.

A scrum is made up of three players in the front row, two players in the second row and three players in the back row. These eight players are collectively called forwards or "the pack."

Once in position, the two opposing groups of forwards come together and the front row players lean toward one another. The remaining players push them together and the scrum is said to be "engaged."

Fit for Scrums

Players involved in scrums need to have strong necks and backs, especially the two props and the hooker in the front row. According to ex- England rugby star Dan Luger in his book "Complete Conditioning For Rugby," you can normally identify a prop by his massive neck muscles.

Strong legs also are essential for driving the scrum forward--and the opposing team backward--to contest playing territory. The eight forwards tend to be the biggest and strongest players in a rugby team. Rugby players use weights to develop their strength and also work out using specialized equipment, such as weighted sleds and scrum machines to help develop their pushing power.

Scrum Dangers

There have been a large number of serious injuries as the result of scrum accidents. According to James B Bourke, consultant general surgeon, University Hospital, Queen's Medical Centre, Nottingham, writing in the "British Medical Journal," players should only engage in safer, uncontested scrums where the teams merely lean against one another using minimal force and do not actively try to push. Citing the high incidence of neck and spinal injury as a result of scrums, Bourke also has called to ban scrums in rugby played in schools.