Law 20 - Scrum

1. Law 20 - Scrum chriswratt@hotmail.com

2. Last Week • Touch and Lineout

3. 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

4. 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

5. 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

6. 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

7. 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

8. 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

9. 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

10. 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

11. 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

12. 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

13. 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

14. 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

15. 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

16. 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

17. 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

18. 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

19. 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

20. 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

21. 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

22. 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

23. 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

24. 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

25. 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

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

27. 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)

28. 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

29. 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

30. Quiz • 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? • At the original Mark • Where the scrum stopped • Where the wheel started.

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

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

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

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