Communication
in the Scrum
The hallmark of a good scrummaging
side is its ability to provide quality ball on its own put in and to diminish
the quality the opposition’s ball on their put in.
In order to do this the players must work as a coordinated
unit. This can only be done through communication. Scrummaging
should be treated like the lineout with it’s unique
set of plays and coding or calls.
Every scrummager including the
scrumhalf must understand the aims of the scrum and his responsibilities as an
individual within the scrum. Constantly varying the direction and amplitude of
pressure within each successive scrum achieves positive results. The team
making calls every scrum, will be more in tune with the goals of the scrum.
They will then be more single minded and react as a more of unit, ultimately
producing more power. This can be focused to achieve the desired effect for the
next play. These aims and responsibilities can be communicated quickly and
clearly using the calls Attached.
Scrum Timing Script
In a scrum, as in a tug-of-war, timing is imperative.
How well we are able to synchronize a pulse of pressure, re-gather without
relaxing and apply another pulse directly relates to their success. In the
following script the calls “Yes, 2,3,4…8 “ do
not represent stepping only a rhythm that maintains concentration the length of
the effort.
OFFENSIVE HIT
Hooker ......
Take charge
–Gather at mark quickly -then once scrum goals have been relayed to pack set
position links (3-5 seconds)
Set distance to mark stay in low
Set position
Props come down to your height
-everyone on the balls of there feet balanced.
Insure a
quick low assembly of the entire pack
If hooker is unbalanced by assembly and the front row get
shifted past the mark by back 4 pushers -the hooker calls OFF -reset
scrum
If back 4 pushers are not bound Eightman
calls off OFF -reset scrum
Entire pack must be in ready position bound before referee
start engagement sequence,
On offensive ball Hooker taps for
put in on contact as surge of power is generated.
Referee ......
“Crouch… & Hold...”
Everyone…… “Aaand…”
(tighten
grips, anticipate the " E" of engage inhale deep breath and without
exhaling)
Referee......
“Engage.”
Everyone......
“HIT 2,3,4,5,6,7,8”
Eightman…… Should have ball by the count of 8
(No pulses, Push starts on engagement and Ball presented
early, on the tap it is put in, continuous maximum effort until ball is
released from #8. If necessary # 8 can restarts drive by “Ready” packs answer
would be “YES, 2,3,4,5,6,7,8” etc.
again)
(if the ball has been channeled to the number 8, he should
pick before the scrum stops moving. If he can not reach the ball he will call “READY”
everyone replies and regenerates power with “YES, 2,3,4,5,6,7,8” once
the power is re-established and ball is channeled to the back the #8 should
release. The key to a successful pick up is to break before the impetus
is diminished and the other back row stops pushing and becomes more prepared to
defend)
DEFENSIVE HIT
Hooker ......
Take charge –Gather at mark quickly -then once scrum goals have been relayed to
pack set position links (3-5 seconds) -Set distance to
mark
stay in low Set position
Props come down to your height -everyone on the balls of
there feet balanced.
Insure a quick low assembly
of the entire pack
If hooker is unbalanced by assembly and the front row get
shifted past the mark by back 4 pushers -the hooker calls OFF -reset
scrum
If back 4 pushers are not bound Eightman
calls off OFF -reset scrum
Entire pack must be in ready position bound before referee
start engagement sequence,
Referee......
“Crouch… & Hold...”
Everyone...... “Aaaand”
(Tighten grips, anticipate the " E"
of engage inhale deep breath and without exhaling)
Referee......
“Engage”
Everyone......
“Hit, 2, 3, SQUEEZE!!”
(Squeeze, do not exhale, tighten
waiting for queue from FLANKER to explode)
Flanker......
“Ready?!!” (as soon as the
scrumhalf starts to present ball below knees, early call)
(everyone
reacts to the opposition putting in the ball by dropping the hips pushing through)
Everyone......
“Yes,”
(explosive drop and drive action) “2, 3,4,5,6,7,8,!!”
(…continuing
squeezing and compression as rhythm is counted by everyone.)
Eightman...... “BREAK?!!” (If they
manage to channel ball out…)
Before a scrum is formed on the mark, given by the referee,
there should be communication. The number eight (or pack leader) and the
scrumhalf should decide the goals of scrum desired for the next play. This is
relayed to the hooker who is responsible for constructing the scrum in a way
that will best achieve these goals. This entails ensuring that the proper binds
are taken and angles of push are understood by all. Links should take 3-5
seconds to complete. The calls are used both on defense and offense.
Scrum Call Coding
The general code is:
11 to 19 - For a
11 being a 10° nudge and 19 a 90° wheel. Obviously the 19 call is a defensive call aimed at
forcing a change of possession through amended LAW#20-11(b).
21-29 - For a
21 being a hit and stick or squeeze and 29 being a superman
scrum that will take them straight back hard for a pushover try or to take one
against the head.
Note: to counteract
the natural loosehead wheel there must be a bias of
pressure towards the tighthead to aid the square
drive.
31-39 - For a
31 being a 10° nudge and 39 a 90° wheel.
Note: An easy way to remember these calls is
to realize that the loosehead generally wears the #1
jersey, the hooker the #2 jersey and the tighthead
the #3 jersey. So, on calls 11 to 19 the push goes off the right foot towards
the player wearing the #1 jersey, on calls 21 to 29 the push goes up the middle
through the hooker and so on.
Points to remember
1.
We need to react to
the referee’s “Engage” call, not the “crouch and hold” expecting the engage
call to follow. These calls are not linked the referee will vary the time
between “crouch and hold……….Engage”. We do not want to give away
penalties for engaging to early, but we also do not want the other team beating
us in on the hit, so success comes from explosive reaction to the “E” of
the engage call
2.
We never wheel inside
our 22 line, calls would be 21 or 22 to represent a hit and squeeze staying
square and stable. If a wheel is felt by the prop that is being drawn through.
He will make one load call of the opposites props name or number. Everyone
should redirect their energy to that side of the scrum to stop the wheel. (i.e.
if the tighthead calls the looseheads
name everyone should push off the right foot shifting weight through the hips
to get behind the loosehead)
3.
Power is generated
with a swift drop of the knees and an extension of the core. Not through
extension of the legs and scratching of the feet in the mud. After engagement
there should be minimal relocation of footing.
4.
It’s vital that the
pressure increases with no lulls between the calls. Maximum energy must be
maintained from engagement to the # 8 ‘BREAK’ call.
5.
The forwards should
run to the huddle and then breath and recover while
getting instruction for next scrum play. This should not delay the
setting of the scrum.
6.
Flankers should power
bind on the dominant side of the call. For example: if a 30 series is called,
the tighthead flanker would push like another lock
behind the outside leg of the tighthead. While the loosehead flanker can bind traditionally.
7.
When a 29 or superman
scrum is called, both flankers should power bind on both props for the at least
the completion of the, HIT, 2,3, portion of call. This
will aid the power to be transmitted through the props. This will not slow the flankers disengagement, after the hit the flanker can adjust
the bind and prepare for quick disengagement.
8.
On an offensive scrum
where a nudge would aid the back row or scrum half. Numbers should not exceed
15 or 35. The pack then understands that if they achieve a 45-degree
wheel they should squeeze and hold. Thereby not allowing the opposition to pull
it past the desired angle of nudge.
9. If the other team gets our timing, a
20 is called which will delay our put in and allow them to push us off mark,
this may draw a penalty ,and will keep them guessing.
The introduction of a standard or defensive style of call will also create a
delay which may catch them pushing on contact .
10. The scrum is won or lost before contact is made!
Execute every engagement in practice and in games. The successful release
of good ball from the scrum is everyone’s responsibility, concentrate and
maintain pressure until the break call .