Force Scrum

[Nipper]

The Force scrum seems to be much improved this year. Sure, there have been some wobbles, but overall it seems to be much better.

Haven't seen this discussed much on this forum, other than a few early season questions/slags about why they hired a "scrum coach who couldn't scrummage"... Stiles seems to have acquitted himself, no?

Any thoughts?

[zimeric]

the Force Scrum has been the most consistent in the Comp IMHO. Im pretty sure weve had the least resets and the least penalties as well

[Tazzmania]

Great work by Nick Stiles, we have come a long way this year, but the base was built by John Mitchell, who seems to be doing the same at the Lions now.

[Sheikh]

K-bomb's done fantastic work. When I went on the Canberra tour in '09 he seemed too small to be a top-class prop - but he's put on some bulk and come good. With Pek, Charlie and K-bomb we've got an awesome, young front row, with some good U20 players in the academy.

[farva]

Longbum is up to Super rugby standard. But we are losing Fairbrother and Dunning at the end of the year (what is happening to Cowen?)
We have PAE and CAN as up and comers, but we need someone to anchor the scrum on the TH side. Someone experienced (Longbum and Cowen are both LHs).

[oxleymoron]

Need to include Tetera Faulkner in the mix for next year as cover for Dunning or Fairbrother. No idea on his game though.
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[farva]

Need to include Tetera Faulkner in the mix for next year as cover for Dunning or Fairbrother. No idea on his game though.
Posted via Mobile Device

Fair enough. I still want to see us pick up an experienced tight head though. For mentoring of the two youngens if not for anything else.
Anyone know how good Faulkner is?

We seem to be going through quite a few established props without nailing anyone down (with the exception of Cowen and Longbum, who we developed).
We have seen Dunning, Fairbrother, Henderson and Castle all come and go within a year or two.

[Rucking Good]

U have to give Matt Tink some credit. He turned the scrummaging around last year and Stiles has done a great job continuing with it. Why they signed "pie man" Mafu is a mystery to me though

[Happy]

the Force Scrum has been the most consistent in the Comp IMHO. Im pretty sure weve had the least resets and the least penalties as well

we still get penalised too often for early engagement

[Rucking Good]

Is that over eagerness or the stupid 6 second engagement calls from the refs..

[fulvio sammut]

I think the Force would do well to look at what's out their in clubland in the front row than to be looking first everywhere but their own back yard.

[GIGS20]

U have to give Matt Tink some credit. He turned the scrummaging around last year and Stiles has done a great job continuing with it. Why they signed "pie man" Mafu is a mystery to me though

It's a bit hard to answer that question, but one thing I do know. We signed Matt Dunning whilst he was injured with a year long Achilles, having been decimated by the English front row and labelled a tellytubby. He had not played a decent game of super rugby for years and we all wondered how it would go. After a couple of years though, we're all lamenting losing him, he's found some form. Whilst he's not really up to international standard anymore

On to marshmallow ma'afu, he's currently not the strongest scrummager, nor the most mobile, or effective around the field, however there might be something there we haven't seen. To be fair, all of our experienced props have been criticized for being journeymen upon signing, but we've had a pretty good strike rate getting blokes that have done the job..........that might have been John Mitchell's nouse, I don't know, all I can be sure of is, we need to give the guy the benefit of a doubt, no matter how much of a gimp he is ATM

[shasta]

we need to give the guy the benefit of a doubt, no matter how much of a gimp he is ATM

High praise indeed!

[Happy]

Is that over eagerness or the stupid 6 second engagement calls from the refs..

you mean the 6 seconds that differs between each one ? lol

[Bronski Beat]

you mean the 6 seconds that differs between each one ? lol

I think Hippy's sentiment is bang on here, there is bugger all consistency at scrum reffing time. I think it is only a matter of time before a bloke gets injured. All of that resetting and stuffing around just tires blokes which leads to bad technique which can lead to wheelchairs.