Law 20 - Scrum

Last Week Touch and Lineout

Quiz A defender kicks the ball. Who throws in? –An attacker in the field of play jumps and catches the ball before it crosses the touch-line and then lands with both feet in touch? DEFENDERS –An attacker standing with one foot on the touch line and one foot in the field of play? ATTACKERS At a lineout may the thrower join the lineout as soon as the ball is thrown in? –YES

Quiz Are players in the lineout off side if they move in front of the ball (unless tackling) after a player in the lineout has touched the ball? –YES The ball is caught in the lineout and a maul forms on the line of touch. May the last player in the lineout retire to the 10m offside line? –NO

Scrums Purpose: To restart play safely, quickly and fairly after a stoppage Middle line of Scrum can’t be within 5m of touch line or 5m of goal line

Forming a Scrum Can’t intentionally delay forming a scrum –FK Must have equal numbers ie 8 on 8 or 7 on 7 but can’t have less than 5 – formation 3,4 or 3,2,1 or 3,2 (DSLV) –PK Stand no more than an arms length apart, players crouch so heads not lower than hips –FK

Forming a Scrum May come together on engage call when ready –FK Must no charge on engage –PK Scrum must be stationary and parallel before the ball leaves the scrum half's hands –FK

Front Rowers Position In a position to shove –FK Both feet on the ground, with weight on at least one foot –FK Must not cross feet (however players can cross feet over teammates) –FK

Front Rowers Position Shoulders not lower than hips –FK Hooker in a position to hook, foot can’t be in front of the foremost foot of that teams props –FK

Binding Must use whole arm from hand to shoulder PK Front row players must bind firmly and continuously from the start to the finish of the scrum –PK Hooker must bind over or under props arms. Props must not support the hooker so that hooker has no weight on either foot –PK

Binding Loosehead –Left arm inside the tighthead’s right arm Tight head –Right arm outside the loosehead’s left arm Both must bind on side or back of opposition player Can’t bind chest, arm, sleeve, or collar –PK

Binding All other players must bind to locks with at least one arm Flanker may bind onto the scrum at any angle. The flanker may not widen that angle and so obstruct the opposite scrum half –PK

Who Throws In Refer to other laws R/M etc After any stoppage not covered by law - the team moving forward immediately before the stoppage if neither team moving forward - the attacker’s ball If a scrum becomes stationary and the ball doesn’t emerge: new Scrum - team not in possession throw in

Throwing the ball into scrum Must be done without delay –FK Scrum half must stand 1m from scrum, so that players head doesn’t touch the scrum or go past the nearest prop Must hold the ball with two hands, length wise, over the midline in the scrum between the knees and the ankles

Throwing the ball into scrum Must throw in straight and with speed so it first touches the ground beyond the width of the nearest props shoulders Must be thrown in with a single movement There must be no back ward movement All infringements with throw in: –FK

Beginning to a Scrum Begins when ball leaves the scrum half’s hands If ball comes out either end if tunnel, must be thrown again unless FK/PK If goes through tunnel and out behind the foot of a far prop without being touched must be re-thrown If ball is played by the front row and comes out of the tunnel advantage may apply

Front Row Players Can’t have foot up before ball thrown in –FK Can’t intentionally kick the ball out of the tunnel –FK If the ball is repeatedly kicked out –PK

Front Row Player Must not strike for the ball with both feet, may not intentionally lift both feet of the ground at any stage –PK Must not twist dip or collapse in the scrum –PK Must not lift a player in the scrum –PK Must not do anything dangerous

All Players Can’t collapse a scrum or fall or kneel –PK Can’t handle the ball in the scrum or pick it up with their legs –PK Must win the ball by using the foot or lower leg only –FK

All Players Must not return the ball to a scrum once it has left –FK Must not fall on or over the ball as it is coming out of the scrum PK

Other Players Locks/Flankers/#8 must not play the ball in the tunnel –FK Scrum half must not kick the ball in the scrum –PK

Other Players Scrum half mustn’t do anything to make the opposition think that the ball has left the scrum while it is still in there –FK Scrum half must not grasp an opposition flanker in order to gain leverage –PK

Ending of a Scrum Ball comes out in any direction except the tunnel the scrum ends When the ball in the scrum goes on or over goal line the scrum ends. Any player defending or attacking may ground the ball If the hindmost player unbinds with the ball at that players feet the scrum ends Hindmost player is the player whose feet are nearest the teams goal line

Wheeled Scrum If a wheel reaches 45 degrees the referee must stop the scrum and order a new one (DSLV) The team that originally threw in the ball throws in again (regardless of who won it) Scrum is where the last one ended

DSLV A team must not push more than 1.5m –FK A player must not intentionally keep the ball in the scrum once it is won –FK

Offside Scrum half: Team that has won the ball –Scrum half is offside if BOTH feet are over the midline of the scrum

Offside Scrum half: Team that hasn’t won the ball –If they start at the tunnel (midline) –Scrum half is offside if they overstep the midline with either foot –or hindmost foot of the scrum if on other side of scrum Scrum half can’t move away from scrum and stay at the midline (must be at hindmost foot)

Offside Scrum half: Team that hasn’t won the ball –If they don’t start at the tunnel (midline) –Scrum half is offside if they overstep the 5m offside line 5m behind hindmost foot/player in the scrum Can only have one scrum half –PK

Offside Offside line for all other players is 5m behind the hindmost foot in the scrum If the scrum moves so does the offside line

Quiz 1.A scrum wheels 45 deg and has moved 1m in front of the mark. The referee awards another scrum. Where is the mark for the new scrum? 1.At the original Mark 2.Where the scrum stopped 3.Where the wheel started.

Quiz 2.At a scrum when may a hooker first strike for the ball? When the ball leaves the scrumhalf's hands 3.The ball leaves a scrum but a player brings it back in with a foot. What should the referee rule? FK

Quiz 4.At a scrum what is the maximum length the front rows can be standing apart before they come together? Arms length

Quiz 1.At a scrum is a tight head prop permitted to bind on the side of the jersey of the opposing loose head? YES 2.The scrum half of the team which did not win the ball kicks the ball while it is still in the scrum. Ruling? PK 3.Attackers throw into a scrum. The defenders gain a tight head but the scrum collapses. Who throws in to the new scrum? Attackers

Quiz 4.Must the ball be released from the scrum half’s hands outside of the tunnel? YES 5.At a scrum a flanker uses a foot to stop the ball emerging from the tunnel, ruling? FK