The disgrace of uncontested scrums

[pieter blackie]

If a suitably trained front row player is not available, in the interest of safety, the game shall proceed with non-contested scrums.

With many coaches abusing the rules as soon as their scrum is under pressure, it has become common practice to use uncontested scrums in our club competition and this isn't confined to the lower grades of the competition but in first and second grade as well.There is no penalty towards the club that is guilty of this other than the ruling that says:

If non-contested scrums are awarded during a match due to a teams failure to provide the minimum number of suitably trained front row players, the result of the match may be reviewed by the Board via the Competition Manager.

Well that doesn't mean a great deal and leaves a big loophole for clubs with not so strong forward packs to overcome one of the biggest game winners namely scrums.

one suggestion on this is to allow the uncontested scrum but to do what French clubs has just proposed to the IRB and it goes as follow:

if a team cannot replace an injured front-row player with a specialist in the same position, the side will have to continue with fourteen men.

This will make coaches think twice before going the cheating route of uncontested scrums

your thoughts on this will be much apreciated....

[jazza93]

Yea, that would be great.

Our scrum is the best in the comp and in most games the other team calls uncontested by the second half.

It is always used as a tactic against us.

I hope it is looked at soon.

[gotheforce]

its a disgrace if 1st or 2nd grade go uncontested. fair enough if the ground is really bad and might lead to a bad injury. but not in any other conditions. and whats worse was i've seen other clubs put 2 loose forwards in to bring more mobility in with the new laws.

[welshrugbyfan]

Wanneroo V Mandurah 5th grade yesterday had uncontested scrums for all of the first half and some of the second half until some props showed up for Mandurah and then it went contested.

[pieter blackie]

Wanneroo V Mandurah 5th grade yesterday had uncontested scrums for all of the first half and some of the second half until some props showed up for Mandurah and then it went contested.

Nothing wrong with something like that. You could clearly see that it was done within the spirit of the game because the moment they had a prop it was back to normal scrums

But for some teams the win is everything so they will go down to cheating to achieve that. I was involved in a game being played a few weeks ago where the team went uncontested at half time because they "did not have enough players". Our whole gameplan revolved around the forwards so second half was a nightmare. After the game we had a look at the team sheets and they entered only 17 players names on it. To make a long story short when I got home I studied the video they actually made 8 replacements in the game. By the way that is one more than what you are actually alowed. So they definately weren't that short of players. The only reason they did what they did was to ensure that our main weapon gets neutralized and by doing so they turned the scales towards them.

Another example:
a certain team plays in round one with normal scrums against us and then in round 2 when we play them they go uncontested from the start but the prop that played for them in round 1 as prop for a full game now plays in the backline.

none of it were done in the spirit of the game.

[welshrugbyfan]

Nothing wrong with something like that. You could clearly see that it was done within the spirit of the game because the moment they had a prop it was back to normal scrums

But for some teams the win is everything so they will go down to cheating to achieve that. I was involved in a game being played a few weeks ago where the team went uncontested at half time because they "did not have enough players". Our whole gameplan revolved around the forwards so second half was a nightmare. After the game we had a look at the team sheets and they entered only 17 players names on it. To make a long story short when I got home I studied the video they actually made 8 replacements in the game. By the way that is one more than what you are actually alowed. So they definately weren't that short of players. The only reason they did what they did was to ensure that our main weapon gets neutralized and by doing so they turned the scales towards them.

Another example:
a certain team plays in round one with normal scrums against us and then in round 2 when we play them they go uncontested from the start but the prop that played for them in round 1 as prop for a full game now plays in the backline.

none of it were done in the spirit of the game.

At another of our games this year the scrum was set on our 5 metre line, one minute to go and bingo they suddenly go uncontested. The killer blow was they scored and tied the game, if the kick had been good they would have won. They said they had no one at all who could go in the front row, now if I'm not mistaken there has to be at least one player who can play in the front row on the bench in the local comp.

[pieter blackie]

this is what the rule says

h. All senior teams are required to provide suitably trained and experienced players for
the front row when nominating different numbers of players. Please see table below:
Number of Players Number of Suitably Trained & Experienced Players Required
15 or less: 3 Players who can play in the front row
16, 17 or 18: 4 Players who can play in the front row
19, 20, 21 or 22: 5 players who can play in the front row

[pruc]

this is a huge issue in the junior comp and 18s.
one way to monitor is that each team at the start and other checkpoints during the year send in the names of players that can play front row that way the team sheets can be looked at and those players who are trainined frontrowers are still on the field the club can be penalised points

[Woody]

Over here our team-sheets id props. The game has to have a suitable front row to start the game. If they lose a prop/hooker and cannot replace with a front rower it goes uncontested, but they play with 14. It works on a graduated system for how many you can have on the bench. Generally seems to work. Most clubs wouldn't want to be seen as 'soft', so they adhere.

[inside]

i dont think its a matter of having the replacements....but like you were saying simply having 'trained front row players'.
what then can a club do if they do not have 3 big boys rock up to preseason.....

it really is a problem

at uni we had one of our loose forwards have to step in and play in the front row as we have had that problem in the past.

[Woody]

The local rugby union set up a 'Front Row Factory' with interested parties (clubs, teams etc) able to draw on the experience of good front rowers for training sessions. It is amazing how much can be learn in a hour with good tuition. Mike Cron and Mark Hammett were the a couple of the origonals.
Correct technique makes so much difference, in the past you were expected to be a fatty with no neck. That is not the case now. One of the major obsticles to over come is the rugby mum (There' no way my Johnny is going to play there), mainly due to some nasty injuries a few years back. As a flanker or a winger you stand a far greater chance of a serious injury now, high speed collison.
Knowledge is power and confidence.

Local clubs shouls band together to form a Front Row Factory. Under 16s and 18s were given badges and t-shirts (all worn proudly now).

[brokendown gunfighter]

The local rugby union set up a 'Front Row Factory' with interested parties (clubs, teams etc) able to draw on the experience of good front rowers for training sessions. It is amazing how much can be learn in a hour with good tuition. Mike Cron and Mark Hammett were the a couple of the origonals.
Correct technique makes so much difference, in the past you were expected to be a fatty with no neck. That is not the case now. One of the major obsticles to over come is the rugby mum (There' no way my Johnny is going to play there), mainly due to some nasty injuries a few years back. As a flanker or a winger you stand a far greater chance of a serious injury now, high speed collison.
Knowledge is power and confidence.

Local clubs shouls band together to form a Front Row Factory. Under 16s and 18s were given badges and t-shirts (all worn proudly now).

good idea Woody

[Woody]

Your've been quite lately BDG. Been away?

The worst thing about uncontested scrums is that you might as well drop 2 players and hand the ball over after 5 tackles and wear jerseys with Vs instead of stripes.

[Flamethrower]

I think I've heard of a game like that. It doesn't sound like it would take hold though.

[pieter blackie]

what then can a club do if they do not have 3 big boys rock up to preseason.....

it really is a problem

No problem Mate, you don't enter a team if you haven't got the props at pre season because if you can't start the season with at least 4 props and 2 hookers in your team you sure as hell are going to end up uncontested.