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Is scrum really necessary?
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<blockquote data-quote="Beau Geste" data-source="post: 682685" data-attributes="member: 71807"><p>In my view the scrum is absolutely necessary, but I fear that the Union scrum is heading the same way as League scrums. The crooked feed now in Union is ubiquitous and one of the reasons IMO there are so many resets.</p><p></p><p>I'm from Hull, so was brought up on League: Union has almost zero interest in comparison. If I go back to the early 60's, League had unlimited tackles, contested scrums, and supposedly 3-yards at the play the ball although it was often less. Similar to what a ruck is now in Union. What we have now in League is effectively a different game. The standards, so far as flair is concerned, have gone down to the point whereby I cannot stomach Superleague and watch the NRL because it's far superior in almost every way. The game in general has become more predictable. The scrum's a 'lean-to' so the arm wrestle's gone out of the game, which means forwards can now get all over the field to make cover tackles, in the past props wouldn't have the energy to get there; in those days there was the great South African winger Tom Van Vollenhoven scoring 40 to 50 tries a season for St Helens and Billy Boston the same at Wigan, 10 yard rule at the play the ball means that flair is jettisoned because of the need for power; much easier to gain momentum when you've got a 10 yard run up, but there are no Alex Murphy's around anymore who could unpick any defence.</p><p></p><p>But I have issues with Union as well. I would introduce 2 refs like they do in the NRL. One to be the senior, but to concentrate on the breakdown; the other to ensure the offside rule is maintained, but also an idea from one of the old League refs that a referee puts the ball in the scrum; and looking for foul play in the back play. This would avoid some of the present nonsense where basically it's fed almost every time and the art of hooking the ball has become a thing of the past. It just becomes a borefest that turns people off. Rugby should be about attacking play and scoring tries rather than reset scrums, one front row getting pinged because the refs themselves don't know what they are looking for resulting in games being decided by penalties.</p><p></p><p>I love watching both games. I'm not one of the bigots who slags off the other code. They both have + and -. Would love to see them merged again although I'm not hopeful. Watching the ITM game at the weekend between Hawke's Bay and Manawatu is how I like to see the Union game played.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Beau Geste, post: 682685, member: 71807"] In my view the scrum is absolutely necessary, but I fear that the Union scrum is heading the same way as League scrums. The crooked feed now in Union is ubiquitous and one of the reasons IMO there are so many resets. I'm from Hull, so was brought up on League: Union has almost zero interest in comparison. If I go back to the early 60's, League had unlimited tackles, contested scrums, and supposedly 3-yards at the play the ball although it was often less. Similar to what a ruck is now in Union. What we have now in League is effectively a different game. The standards, so far as flair is concerned, have gone down to the point whereby I cannot stomach Superleague and watch the NRL because it's far superior in almost every way. The game in general has become more predictable. The scrum's a 'lean-to' so the arm wrestle's gone out of the game, which means forwards can now get all over the field to make cover tackles, in the past props wouldn't have the energy to get there; in those days there was the great South African winger Tom Van Vollenhoven scoring 40 to 50 tries a season for St Helens and Billy Boston the same at Wigan, 10 yard rule at the play the ball means that flair is jettisoned because of the need for power; much easier to gain momentum when you've got a 10 yard run up, but there are no Alex Murphy's around anymore who could unpick any defence. But I have issues with Union as well. I would introduce 2 refs like they do in the NRL. One to be the senior, but to concentrate on the breakdown; the other to ensure the offside rule is maintained, but also an idea from one of the old League refs that a referee puts the ball in the scrum; and looking for foul play in the back play. This would avoid some of the present nonsense where basically it's fed almost every time and the art of hooking the ball has become a thing of the past. It just becomes a borefest that turns people off. Rugby should be about attacking play and scoring tries rather than reset scrums, one front row getting pinged because the refs themselves don't know what they are looking for resulting in games being decided by penalties. I love watching both games. I'm not one of the bigots who slags off the other code. They both have + and -. Would love to see them merged again although I'm not hopeful. Watching the ITM game at the weekend between Hawke’s Bay and Manawatu is how I like to see the Union game played. [/QUOTE]
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