The UAFC

BR wrote:They tightened the application of the feeding laws 3 or 4 years ago (Remember? Rory was one of the few hookers who actually knew how to hook). It made almost no difference to the number of balls taken against the head, and arguably made the scrum less stable and caused more resets. But technically they are still the rules we are working under, including that hookers must hook.

I fear the IRB have fallen into the trap that criticism of how long a scrum takes to complete properly has prompted them to ignore the laws as long as the ball comes out and nobody gets hurt.

For me lineouts need to be addressed first. The ball should not be dead for this length of time. I'd actually like to see what would happen of they rebanned lifting. (Gut feeling it would be safer and more of a contest)

Dave wrote: ↑Sun Mar 06, 2022 5:28 pm

BR wrote:They tightened the application of the feeding laws 3 or 4 years ago (Remember? Rory was one of the few hookers who actually knew how to hook). It made almost no difference to the number of balls taken against the head, and arguably made the scrum less stable and caused more resets. But technically they are still the rules we are working under, including that hookers must hook.

I fear the IRB have fallen into the trap that criticism of how long a scrum takes to complete properly has prompted them to ignore the laws as long as the ball comes out and nobody gets hurt.

For me lineouts need to be addressed first. The ball should not be dead for this length of time. I'd actually like to see what would happen of they rebanned lifting. (Gut feeling it would be safer and more of a contest)

Attempting to win a scrum against the head through out hooking the opposition is a waste of energy. It's more profitable to set your front row to shove. If you have a dominant scrum you are more likely to win a penalty by forgetting about hooking. Conversely, an inferior scrum will want to be set in order to squarely face the incoming pressure. For me, I still enjoy the scrummaging contest without the hooking aspect being competitive. Its a fair trade off imo.

BR wrote: ↑Sun Mar 06, 2022 8:20 pm Like you, I enjoy a scrum. But I think a lot of outsiders/backs don't really consider play to be continuing until the ball magically comes out the back.

BR wrote:

Dave wrote: ↑Sun Mar 06, 2022 5:28 pm

BR wrote:They tightened the application of the feeding laws 3 or 4 years ago (Remember? Rory was one of the few hookers who actually knew how to hook). It made almost no difference to the number of balls taken against the head, and arguably made the scrum less stable and caused more resets. But technically they are still the rules we are working under, including that hookers must hook.

I fear the IRB have fallen into the trap that criticism of how long a scrum takes to complete properly has prompted them to ignore the laws as long as the ball comes out and nobody gets hurt.

For me lineouts need to be addressed first. The ball should not be dead for this length of time. I'd actually like to see what would happen of they rebanned lifting. (Gut feeling it would be safer and more of a contest)

Attempting to win a scrum against the head through out hooking the opposition is a waste of energy. It's more profitable to set your front row to shove. If you have a dominant scrum you are more likely to win a penalty by forgetting about hooking. Conversely, an inferior scrum will want to be set in order to squarely face the incoming pressure. For me, I still enjoy the scrummaging contest without the hooking aspect being competitive. Its a fair trade off imo.

Of course, but the current rule is you have to hook. The current interpretation of that rule is you don't have to hook.

Like you, I enjoy a scrum. But I think a lot of outsiders/backs don't really consider play to be continuing until the ball magically comes out the back.

Dave wrote: ↑Mon Mar 07, 2022 3:17 pm I do think the hooking is more ceremonial. If the other side doesn't want to compete there can be no unfair advantage. The ball being rolled into the second row is probably an exaggeration anyway.

Cap'n Grumpy wrote: ↑Mon Mar 07, 2022 9:09 pm

Dave wrote: ↑Mon Mar 07, 2022 3:17 pm I do think the hooking is more ceremonial. If the other side doesn't want to compete there can be no unfair advantage. The ball being rolled into the second row is probably an exaggeration anyway.

Indeed - it's more usually fed to the back row ...

big mervyn wrote:

Cap'n Grumpy wrote: ↑Mon Mar 07, 2022 9:09 pm

Dave wrote: ↑Mon Mar 07, 2022 3:17 pm I do think the hooking is more ceremonial. If the other side doesn't want to compete there can be no unfair advantage. The ball being rolled into the second row is probably an exaggeration anyway.

Indeed - it's more usually fed to the back row ...

Usually 'round the openside's left ankle if quick ball is required.

... maybe that is a slight exaggeration

solidarity wrote: ↑Tue Mar 08, 2022 7:56 pm Sometimes scrummaging is more about forcing a penalty than simply winning the ball and restarting the game and that's a legitimate thing to do.