Scrums and Lineouts

Learn How to Play Rugby and Master the Basic Skills of Rugby that Will Have You Go from Rugby Zero to Rugby Hero in as little as 8 weeks

When play stops because of a penalty, the two most commonly used restarts for a game are scrums and lineouts; This is called set play. The strength of the scrum pack can determine whether or not your team wins the game. Lineouts are also another way that the ball is put back into play. The two sets of forwards line up a meter apart and lift men called "jumpers" in an attempt to catch the ball when it is thrown in. The USA rugby team, as well as most usa college rugby teams have excellent scrummaging.

Scrums
A good scrum consists of the front eight forwards working together, as a unit, as a pack. They are tightly bound, concentrated, and disciplined. The scrum is divided into the front row, second row, and back row.

Front Row
A scrum looks like two battering rams trying to force the opposing team backward. The front row is the blunt face of this battering ram. The formation of the front row start with the hooker, he "sets" the scrum by raising his arm so the props on each side can tuck a shoulder underneath. The hooker grips his fellow props by the jerseys. Their knees are bent, and look straight into the eyes of the opposing front row (usually the referee cannot see what goes on in the front row, and a lot of spitting/punching/ear tearing has been known to go on here).

Second Row
These players give the scrum most of their forward push. The second row link arms around each other's back, and places his innermost shoulder against the hooker's thighs and a prop's thighs.

 

Back Row
Consists of two flankers and the 8 man. The flankers are on the outside ready to break from the scrum and chase the ball, while the 8 man usually is there to either intercept the opposing back line, or support his own team's back line.

 

Engagement
Front row crouches, shoulders above hips, back straight and legs fixed ready to push as soon as the scrum half puts the ball into the scrum. The scrum-half and front row must be coordinated for this. The scrum-half feeds the ball slightly at an angle to allow his own team's hooker a greater chance to hook the ball.

Defensive Scrum
When your team is the defensive side in a scrum, your whole front pack must be alert as to where the ball is going, since you are at a disadvantage in a defensive scrum.

Lineouts
The hooker usually throws the ball back into play from where the ball went out of bounds. The penalty is awarded to the other team if your team last touched the ball.

Throw-in
The hooker must throw the ball in a straight line between the two rows. Most throw it in with an overhead throw and put a spin to the ball.

Strategy
Each team has their own strategies for throw-ins, so they use coded plays accordingly and choose which jumpers to use.

The Jump
The jumper must jump off both feet and aggressively try and get the ball. As soon as he has the ball he must bring it toward his own team by either throwing it or falling down and mauling, depending on the play called.