Though there are lots of elements to a good, strong, scrummaging position, keep it simple once you have established the principles, so your players have got a template to work towards every scrum.
Go through the key building blocks for good scrummaging:
Feet: around shoulder width apart, on the toes.
Hips: tilt the hips so the backside is out.
Scaps: pull the shoulder blades in towards each other – elbows bent and back (like chicken wings).
Head: neutral so the chin isn’t on the chest or facing upwards.
Crouch into the right position, balanced.
Then lean on another player, to check that the knees are directly below the hips after the engagement.
Warm up by pushing a ruck pad along the ground. Works on keeping the feet active, the hips square and the weight moving forwards not downwards.
Have the player resting on a rugby ball in a scrum profile position. Use peer coaching, and have another player check the right body positions.
COACHING TIP
The hips are the most important element, check the tilt.
TECHNIQUE
Knees below hips.
Keep the scaps back at all times.
Look through your eyebrows, so keeping your head neutral.
DEVELOP THE PRACTICE
This scrum profiles session is a warm up for more scrummaging.
With older players, work on gentle one v one work. The players can bind and lean on each other, with one player slowly raising and lowering the height of both players. They can also move slowly side-to-side.
Further develop by putting one player against two. Only the one player pushes, the other two have to resist but not push back.
Set up a realistic training scenario so your players can practise backs moves like “slice”, where timing, angles and decisions all depend on how the defence sets up and then reacts. MORE
Every successful team will have a number of effective “starter” plays. These are used from a set piece to win the battle on the gain line and, if possible, break it.
Teams often feature one good distributor and another powerful ball-carrier at 12 and 13. There is a simple and productive pattern to get the most out of your resources with this arrangement, commonly called the “slice”. MORE
Lineouts are a powerful attacking weapon, especially if you can set your maul well. Done well and you could be rolling in to score from outside the 22m. Here’s a plan to get yourself set in just three weeks.
You won’t be starting from scratch when it comes to perfecting maul skills but simply building on what players already know. MORE
Put your players into more realistic scenarios so they can test their skills in the same circumstances as they would in the game. It’s also a good test for the defenders too.
It creates great go forward and the two players on either side of the catcher prevent the ball from being grabbed by the opposition. MORE
The clearing pass from a ruck isn’t always made by a scrum half. Every player in your team needs to be able to perform it as it is unrealistic to expect the 9 to be at every breakdown.
This activity is designed to make as many clearing passes as possible to allow you to see everyone’s ability. You then help players improve. MORE
