London – The International Rugby Board (IRB) has announced a crackdown on scrum infringements and illegal tackles ahead of this weekend’s internationals.
This week saw the global governing body stage a meeting of the world’s top referees in London and chief among their concerns when it came to Test match rugby union were the issues of reset and collapsed scrums and illegal, off-the-ball tackles.
Now the IRB has promised stricter policing of illegal clearing out of players off the ball at the ruck and illegal tackles in open play.
The sight of scrums being repeatedly reset can prove baffling to even keen rugby fans, let alone newcomers to the sport, while denying a side with an edge in the set-piece a legitimate chance to press home their advantage.
In a statement, the IRB said an analysis of a cross-section of matches between leading rugby nations over the past three years has identified an increase in scrum infringements in this area at the highest level of the sport.
According to IRB statistics, international matches now average 18 scrums with an average of 18 collapsed or reset scrums.
Average match time consumed by the scrum is currently 16% and climbs as high as 25% in some cases.
“The scrum is an integral part of the fabric of the game, providing a unique sporting spectacle and contest,” said IRB chairperson Bernard Lapasset.
“There is an obligation for referees and players to ensure that this critical area is played in accordance with law, while the promotion of player welfare is of paramount importance.
“The referees have been reminded of their obligation to penalise clear and obvious offences.
“Particular attention will be focused on front rows adhering to the engagement sequence, observation of the mark and the correct binding techniques.
“Addressing these key elements of scrum officiating will assist with reducing the number of resets or collapses.”
The IRB also insisted officials were committed to “stricter vigilance” when it came to players being offside from kicks, illegal scrum feeds and obstruction at the formation of the maul.
Val Jan
Hehe!!
Tighthead, please come in and offer your views on this “new” line that the refs must follow and how they’ll cope.
Mense, mense, mense….
Fokkers wil ons weer target.
Die Ingelse like maar nie die Boere nie. Met hul beste kan hul ons nie wen nie.
Die donnerse refs verstaan na 100jaar van rugby nog steeds nie wat tussen die voorrye aangaan nie! Nou skielik gaan hulle presies weet wie die fokker is wat die skrum laat val!
We also have Barnes tonight reffing. Going to be a long night with that useless ref.
kingpaul @ 4
lmao
well said!!
They just don’t get it.
Its not about how many times the scrum collapses, unless we want to sanitize the scrums to such an extent that they become meaningless.
We certainly seem like we are heading that way.
Sometimes it is the tight head props job to force the collapse of the loose head.
Sometimes it is the loose heads job to pretend that the tight head has forced him to collapse.
The real issue is to get a ref who understands which prop is guilty or not.
If we adopt the mentality that the scrum juat needs to hurry up so we can get on with play, which seems to be what most people want, then we destroy this unique and wonderfull contest.
Bok-bok staan styf… hoeveel vingers op jou lyf!
A Lot of the problems in scrumming is a direct result of the elabourated “crouch, touch, pause, engage” situation.
Couple that to the inability of Refs who simply do not understand front row dynamics and you have a huge balls-up.
As Tight Head suggests, this is a wonderful and cardinal aspect of rugby which should not be diluted…
7
They are heading to uncontested scrums or something like the 13 man game.
That is also why the young 20 year old props are now used, they must break a neck or 2 before they will realize that a international prop must be experienced. Harsh words i just spoke , but these poefter young boys in SA rugby looks good in our sanitized local scrum competition. But gets destroyed when they play the experienced ones up North.
They must be forced to scrum, scrum , scrum until they get it right. Even if it takes up 20 minutes of a game , they will be so tired they will not be able to put one foot in front of another and retire or get their act together.
#5 Tighthead, #6 GBS, #7 SuperBul
Tighthead, I can’t agree more. No need to rush the scrum – good things take a little longer….and I’ve got my wife’s permission to say that, hehe!
But it is this uniqueness and the realisation by the IRB that the scrum is unique to Union that won’t see the scrum disappear or become uncontested IMHO, SuperBul.
Let’s hope its a case of “Bok vyf, staan styf” tonite, GBS…
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