Scrummaging
The front row
The Laws of Rugby Union say, “The purpose of the scrum is to restart play quickly, safely and fairly, after a small infringement or a stoppage.”
The scrum is both a physical and technical contest for possession of the ball and is a crucial component of the game of rugby. It is one of the few situations when players exert a physical force on their opponents who are not in possession of the ball and teams with a strong scrum can create a huge advantage by providing a solid platform for their scrum-half and three-quarters.
The front row of the scrum in particular is an inhospitable environment and is a contest unlike anything else in any other sport. It is in fact, a ‘battle within a battle.’ And it is absolutely imperative that correct techniques are employed and that all participants are able to withstand the severe physical stresses that come with the territory. The old adage, “practice makes perfect” is absolutely correct and it is tantamount to criminal irresponsibility to dump beginners into front row positions based on the sole fact that they are a certain body shape. This is a sure-fire way to guarantee that a high percentage will avoid all further contact with rugby and can potentially have catastrophic consequences. The greatest number of severe injuries are sustained in the front row and although education initiatives and more stringent management of the engagement process by referees has seen a considerable decline in these incidences, the dangers are still very much present.
Front row players must be physically and mentally prepared to participate in the scrums. In terms of physical conditioning core strength and stability is a must. Mentally, it takes a certain inner resolve to enter the dark and oft misunderstood world of the front row and those lacking in that are unlikely to last for very long.
The subtleties of front row play may take many years to pick up and cannot be learned scrimmaging against a machine. We aim to provide some basic coaching techniques in the hope these can be mastered and that the possibilities of serious injuries occurring can be reduced.
