Good scrum ball is one of the most powerful sources of possession, whether you are trying to score tries or simply clear your lines. As a coach, you may have been lucky enough to play in the forwards and know your way around the scrum. However, there’s so much that’s new, it’s important to know whether you are up-to-date.
But if you don’t have that experience, what do you need to work on first?
Here are six activities that will give you an expert’s view in an easy to follow form that you can lead your players with.
Develop your hooker’s ability to strike the ball accurately. With the laws of the game, they have to strike for the ball and this activity helps create a connection between your 2 and 9. MORE
Improve the body position of the tight head (right-hand prop or number 3), his lock and flanker to increase the power through the tight-head side of the scrum. MORE
Develop your scrum from one player through to eight, so they can work on the individual skills and then team work and then competitive situations. MORE
Live situations help you check your tight head's shape and footwork under pressure from the opposition hooker and loose head. This is key with the "crouch-bind-set" laws. MORE
It is essential that all your players are taught the basics of scrummaging properly from a young age. Use rugby training drills and games to ensure they develop safe and effective techniques to use throughout their playing career. MORE
You have only 30 minutes to put together your scrum for your new rugby team's first game of the season. What can you realistically focus on in such a short time? MORE
Pressurise opposition lineouts by making their front ball a risky option. You need to combine speed, accuracy and anticipation to read their movements and beat them to the throw. Here’s how… MORE
Use the catch and drive, or the front peel to make the best use of front ball. The front peel is the perfect counter punch to a defence that sets up to defend a catch and drive. MORE
It's easy to think that lineout front ball is only for a catch-and-drive to clear your lines, or to attack their try line from 5m. Yet, it can be used for off-the-top and front peels. But make sure you have the basics in place first. MORE
