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That'll do me
A deer with no eyes
We're not talking about playing under 10's
We're talking about scrummaging against very powerful professionals who grew up scrumming in the mud and driving rain in places like the south of Wales, Munster, the high veldt, NZ to name but a few...........not some school for poonces where the scrums are uncontested.
The fact our under 19's can't push in scrums is the root of Australia's scrum ills. There is a lot to learn in the engine room that won't be rehearsed on a scrum machine that doesn't push back, bore in, take the weight off, pull you down, drive into your ribs, go early, head butt you, bite your ear, snot you in the nose, sledge you.....I could go on. Our poor performance at national level is evidence enough that there is a lot to learn that can't be found in any manual.
There is no prescription for scrumming. You have to learn the old fashioned way by getting belted by units with years of experience. You only learn every dirty trick in the book and more importantly how to combat it by scrumming against the best.
Just doing some time doesn't qualify you either.
Luckily the Force has some very hard heads that have scrummed the worlds best. They'll do OK despite Stiles. The young blokes will learn more off Dunning
Our national team has been raped on successive weekends by Wales, England and Italy. What odds another debacle against France? Maybe they haven't read the instructions?