The forwards are the backbone of any backline play. The old saying that “a team is only as good as its front row” is so true. As a coach, you must spend a lot of time on set pieces. Your forwards need to provide the platform for the backs to attack. You need good possession to attack with and if you don’t get it you will never win. The new law at the scrum needs to be exploited. If you can dominate by getting a right or left shoulder you can exploit it even more by scrumming to 90 degrees which are now allowed.
“A team is only as good as its front row”
Scrumming
There are commonly two types of scrums:
- Quick:
- This scrum is used for the quick ball (Especially when you are not dominating).
- The ball is fed into the scrum on the engage and hooked immediately (channel 1)
2. Delay:
- If you are a dominant pack this scrum can be used.
- On engagement the tension is kept i.e. no hitting and sitting.
- The ball is fed after the scrum is square and on the Hooker’s tap.
Left Wheel / Shoulder
The front row tries to get the hit with their left shoulder.
Everyone pushes off their right leg and pulls with their right arm.
Loosehead scrums square.
Right Wheel / Shoulder
The front row tries to get the hit with their right shoulder.
Everyone pushes off their left leg and pulls with their left arm.
The Tight head needs to lead by getting the hit and then scrums square.
Coaching Tip:
Timing
Spine inline
120 degrees at hips and knees
Looking over your eyebrows
General scrumming points
- Tight
- Hips break together and chest over toes
- Tension behind shoulders before hit
- White knuckles
- Close levers and short neck (tucked in)
- Hit through the target!!!
- Must be pressure in the legs before the hit
- Keep yourself down when you push (hips down)
- 16 feet in the same direction “1 Foot up = Power Off”
Scrum groups
The above diagram illustrates how the tight head has to scrum with three players against four. This is why it is important for the tight head to “t up” (square up) with the opposition loose head. A team would usually scrum with their biggest/strongest lock and loose forward behind the tight head to counter this. You can see why it is even more important for the loose forward to scrum.
Scrum set up
Hooker:
- Set up on the mark
- Push opposition away / check the distance
- Lean and bring props in closer or away with your bind
- Roll / Twist shoulders forward
Loosehead:
- Come in from behind
- Right leg in front
- Bind / Square up
- Go for the inside chest of the Tight head
Tight head:
- Don’t hide
- Left leg in front
- Remember: Can move from forward to back, but not from back to forward i.e. set closer rather than further
- Hit out
- Bring your arm in and to your neck (close up)
- T the player up (head to head)
- Once you set no more movement
- Never step backward
- Grip opponent and hold him in
- Bring him down / don’t let him go up
¾ Crouch then open for locks
Locks:
- The closer your inside leg the more the front row can lean
Flankers:
- Come from behind the prop
- Two legs together
- Extend on the engage
- On the hit
Loosehead and tight head:
- Keep hips in
- Your head and your arm are your weapons (close up)
- Close up after the touch
Hooker:
- Keep shoulders together and dictate the height
- If you hooking with your right foot, your left foot must come to your right foot.
- Don’t step back with your front foot (“Power off!”)
- Remember: Hips down and forward
Set:
- Crouch and lean (keep the lean)
On the Hit:
- Shout “Barr!..” e.g. when a hammer thrower throws
- Hit and stick
- Scrum straight through: not up or down (keep hips down)
- Reload: Hips down
- Pack must be together after the hit and not all over the show
Technique and Drills
- Cat drill:
A player gets into a scrumming position on his hands (knees off the ground).
The other player moves around him and pushes him.
Coaching Points:
Shoulders above hips and knees at 90°
Use your core to stay where you are.
- 1 vs. 1
Start off with players on their knees
Check if the backs are straight
Shoulders above hips and knees at 90°
Coaching Points:
Some players will need to be taught to push their hips out (Hip swivel). This will prevent them from having an arched back.
Coaching Tip:
A hip swivel is important. This can be coached by placing your hands on your hips. Use your hands to push/swivel your hips back.
Progression 1:
Once players have got the correct technique they can then progress into coming off the ground.
Using an arm to balance on.
Progression 2:
Players now get up from the ground without using their arms for balance.
Coaching Points:
The correct technique needs to be emphasized (knees and hips at 90°).
Players must bind tightly with their arms.
Once this has been mastered, moving the pair around e.g. left, right, back, forward, down, and up can be introduced. One can progress to larger groups e.g. 3 vs. 3, 5 vs. 5, etc.
- Hit timing on the machine
Individual / Front row practice their engagement on a machine.
Coaching Points:
Body positions before and after the hit are important.
Chest out (shoulder arch), Break at hips first, knees in front of toes (no sitting back), on the balls of your feet (heals down)
Progression 1:
Use two additional players (locks) to hold the props back by their shorts.
This will allow the front row to get lean.
Progression 2:
The front row and locks bind.
Engage: Front row / Front row and locks
Progression 3:
Front row, locks, and flanks bind.
Engage: Front row and flanks / Front row, locks and flanks
Progression 4:
Front row locks and loosea forwards bind.
Engage: Front row, locks, and 8 / Front row, locks and loose forwards
Progression 5:
You can isolate the scrumming groups e.g. tight head, RHS lock, flank, etc.
- Set up without the machine
You can split the pack into two. The 8 can scrum down as an extra hooker.
Coaching Points:
Body position hit timing and scrumming can be practiced.
Coaching Tip:
I like this setup because you don’t need to use a machine and it is live.
- 2 vs. 1
The player binds between two other bound players.
Shoulders above hips and knees at 90°
Scrum timing can be worked on i.e. College (squeeze dip shove), 2 – 3 (Chase feet)
Coaching Points:
The scrumming player must not release the pressure i.e. no fetching.
- Winning the shoulder
Two players lean against each other with their heads on either shoulder. Their hands are behind their backs.
Coaching Points:
On the whistle or call the players to engage i.e. try and win the shoulder battle.
The tight head tries to pin the loose head’s neck with his right shoulder.
Loosehead tries to get his head into the tight head’s chest.
- Technique progression 1 vs. 1
Two players crouch opposite each other on their knees.
Coaching Points:
On the whistle or call the players to engage i.e. try and win the shoulder battle.
The tight head tries to pin the loose head’s neck with his right shoulder.
Loosehead tries to get his head into the tight head’s chest.
Coaching Tip:
Technique: Loosehead
Loosehead needs to lose his neck and go for the tight head’s chest.
Technique: Tight head
The tight head should try and pin the loose head’s neck with his right shoulder. This is why it is important to “t up” the loosehead. His goal needs to be to split the loosehead from his hooker.
Rugby | Coach Talk 