Hooker Stephen Moore believes Wallabies have set benchmark in scrum
Bret Harris | June 15, 2009
Article from: The Australian
WALLABIES hooker Stephen Moore believes the Australian forwards have set a benchmark for themselves.
The Australian eight employed a powerful shove which drove the Azzurri back 15 metres from their goalline in the Test against Italy in Canberra last Saturday.
The scrum took place just before half-time and it showed what the Wallabies pack could achieve at the set-piece when it focused on the task.
Moore said the Wallabies had to adopt the same aggressive mentality in every scrum.
“We got a good engagement and Robbo (loose-head prop Benn Robinson) just got under the tighthead a little bit the way he can, being a bit shorter he can be very destructive,” Moore said.
“It was a great effort from all eight blokes. That's really got to be the benchmark of how we scrummage with that mentality to really disrupt opposition scrums.
“Disappointing to give away a penalty after that scrum before half-time, but it was certainly a positive for us.”
Moore said that defending the goal-line sharpened the players' focus, but they needed to have the same approach to scrummaging all over the field.
“The mentality when you are on your own line ... it's in everyone's nature to really dig in when you are on your own line and that's what the boys did,” Moore said.
“If we can transfer that mentality in every area of the field wherever the scrum is, it's going to be really good for us.
“For one reason or another it seems wherever you've got a lineout or a scrum on your own line, the boys just seem to lift that extra 10 to 15 per cent.
“The trick is to get everyone focused right around the field.”
Moore was pleased with the Wallabies' performance in the scrum against an Italian team which is renowned for scrummaging, although it was not as effective towards the end of the game.
“It was pretty willing, mate,” Moore said. “We knew Italy would come at us in that area. They do have a strong scrum, but I'm very proud of the way the boys dug in and the commitment they showed to each other.
“As you saw before half-time we got some good reward for it.
“We didn't finish the game as we would have hoped in the scrum, but I thought overall it was a pleasing performance.
“There is plenty to work on, but overall it was pretty positive for us.”
One of the frustrating elements of the Wallabies' scrummaging was French referee Romain Poite continually penalising Robinson for illegal binding.
“He (Poite) got him a few times for not binding,” Moore said. “That's the interpretation that you get on the night.
“We had to play it by ear. We hadn't seen much of that particular referee before.
“Overall, he did a good job. We'll have a look at the video and see what we can work on.”
Moore will be looking for more improvement when the Wallabies take on the Italians again in the second Test in Melbourne on Saturday night.
“They (Italy) are a world class scrum,” Moore said. “It was a pleasing effort, but it is that consistency we are striving for is to get that performance over 80 minutes.
“I thought it was a good effort for our second outing together, but we'll certainly be looking for some improvement next week.”
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