1. Composition of a Scrum
Rugby scrums look like chaos to the untrained eye, but in reality, they are an organized start to game play. Eight players from each team are in a scrum's formation. The eight players form three rows. The first row consists of two props and the hooker. The hooker is between the props. Two locks make up the second row, and the third row has two flankers and an eighth player.
2. A Scrum is Formed
Scrums restart game play following a minor infraction. To indicate a scrum, the referee holds his arms above the head, touching the tips of the fingers together to form a diamond shape. Scrums happen if the ball fumbles forward toward the opponent's goal line, called a knock-on; a player passes the ball to a teammate who is in front of the ball, called a forward pass; a player grounds the ball in his own try zone or carries the ball through the goal line and over his own dead line, called a touch-down; two or more players become locked in physical contact and no one wins the ball, called a breakdown; the throw into a line-out isn't straight or a restart isn't executed properly.
3. Scrum Laws
To start a scrum, the referee calls "engage" and the scrum-half of the team that was awarded the scrum plays the ball into the left-hand side of the scrum. Players aren't allowed to leave the scrum until the ball emerges. All players who aren't a part of the scrum, with the exception of the scrum-halves, must remain behind the ball. The defending scrum-half can follow the ball's progress through the scrum as long as she stays behind the ball. No one is allowed to pick up the ball until it emerges from the scrum.
4. Heads, Shoulders, Knees and Toes
The hooker is responsible for organizing the scrum. When the hooker calls "front row" the props grab a hold of the hooker's jersey or shorts to form a tight bind. The hooker also holds onto the props jerseys. While the front row sets up, the locks bind together similar to what the front row just did. When the hooker calls for it, the locks reach between the props' legs and grab onto their shorts or jerseys and places their heads between the props' and hooker's knees. The back row then binds onto the second row similar to how the second row bound to the front row.
5. The Hooker's Job
The hooker is responsible for getting the ball back to the eighth player. The hooker isn't allowed to handle the ball, and feeds it backward through the scrum with his feet. The opposing hooker is also trying to hook the ball while the teams' front lines attempt to push the hookers off the ball.
Member Comments