Resets and collapses after Week 14

We again look at an aspect or two of the success of the changed procedure for scrum engagement, noting that this week there was the possibility of an adaptation to that procedure.

It would seem that adaptation is necessary as there are figures which suggest that the new procedure is not yet working.

A decree went forth telling referees to change from four distinct words to two quick enough to be one and then two distinct.

Crouch – Touch – Pause – Engage was to become Crouchtouch – Pause Engage.

This week – a better week for scrums – there were only two referees who changed to the new cadence. After all the players had spent 13 weeks and more listening to the other one. But we have two matches with the changed cadence. It may mean something or nothing. It’s far too early to establish trends.

So let’s look at collapsed scrums first:

Four Words:

Crusaders vs Chiefs: 23 scrums – 11 resets, 6 collapses.
Force vs Blues: 26 scrums – 6 resets, 5 collapses
Lions vs Cheetahs: 21 scrums – 5 resets, 3 collapses
Hurricanes vs Waratahs: 16 scrums – 9 resets, 9 collapses
Stormers vs Sharks: 18 scrums – 5 resets, 6 collapses

Total: 104 scrums – 36 resets, 29 collapses
% resets: 34,6
% collapses: 27,9

Three Words:

Highlanders vs Brumbies: 21 scrums – 6 resets, 4 collapses
Bulls vs Reds: 11 scrums – 1 reset, 3 collapses

Total: 32 scrums – 7 resets, 7 collapses
% resets: 21,9
% collapses: 21,9

Faster looks better but it’s early days.

1. Resets

The reset figures do not include wheeled scrums. A wheeled scrum becomes simply a new scrum.

In the first week of Super 14 2006, 62 scrums out of 136 were reset – 45%
In the first week of Super 14 2007, 41 scrums out of 134 were reset – 30%

In the second week of Super 14 2006, 41 scrums were reset out of 129 – 32%
In the second week of Super 14 2007, 37 scrums were reset out of 128 – 29%

In the third week of Super 14 2006, 56 scrums were reset out of 158 – 35%
In the third week of Super 14 2007, 35 scrums were reset out of 146 – 24%

In the fourth week of Super 14 2006, 40 scrums were reset out of 128 – 31%
In the fourth week of Super 14 2007, 32 scrums were reset out of 107 – 30%

In the fifth week of Super 14 2006, 56 scrums were reset out of 131 – 43%
In the fifth week of Super 14 2007, 54 scrums were reset out of 146 – 37%

In the sixth week of Super 14 2006, 45 scrums were reset out of 140 – 32%
In the sixth week of Super 14 2007, 45 scrums were reset out of 127 – 35%

In the seventh week of Super 14 2006, 29 scrums were reset out of 127 – 23%
In the seventh week of Super 14 2007, 49 scrums were reset out of 130 – 38%

In the eighth week of Super 14 2006, 39 scrums were reset out of 133 – 29%
In the eighth week of Super 14 2007, 49 scrums were reset out of 119 – 41%

In the ninth week of Super 14 2006, 37 scrums were reset out of 126 – 29%
In the ninth week of Super 14 2007, 33 scrums were reset out of 107 – 31%

In the tenth week of Super 14 2006, 44 scrums were reset out of 140 – 31%
In the tenth week of Super 14 2007, 45 scrums were reset out of 109 – 41%

In the eleventh week of Super 14 2006, 40 scrums were reset out of 120 – 33%
In the eleventh week of Super 14 2007, 40 scrums were reset out of 110 – 36%

In the twelfth week of Super 14 2006, 48 scrums were reset out of 139 – 34,5%
In the twelfth week of Super 14 2007, 53 scrums were reset out of 140 – 37,9%

In the thirteenth week of Super 14 2006, 48 scrums were reset out of 134 – 35,8%
In the thirteenth week of Super 14 2007, 42 scrums were reset out of 131 – 32%

In the fourteenth week of Super 14 2006, 34 scrums were reset out of 123 – 27,6%
In the fourteenth week of Super 14 2007, 43 scrums were reset out of 136 – 31,6%

Totals:

2006: 623 rests in 1864 scrums – 33,4%
2007: 598 rests in 1770 scrums – 33,8%

So it seems that the number of scrums is down this year but the percentage of resets is up.

The number of free kicks at scrums:

2006

Week 1: 11
Week 2: 16
Week 3: 13
Week 4: 4
Week 5: 14
Week 6: 19
Week 7: 7
Week 8: 6
Week 9: 13
Week 10: 9
Week 11: 5
Week 12: 14
Week 13: 13
Week 14: 5

Total: 149
% scrums: 8,0

2007

Week 1: 2
Week 2: 6
Week 3: 13
Week 4: 13
Week 5: 11
Week 6: 10
Week 7: 8
Week 8: 10
Week 9: 7
Week 10: 13
Week 11: 13
Week 12: 11
Week 13: 5
Week 14: 4

Total: 126
% scrums: 7,1

So it seems that the percentage of free kicks is down.

The number of penalties at scrums:

2006

Week 1: 9
Week 2: 9
Week 3: 7
Week 4: 5
Week 5: 8
Week 6: 6
Week 7: 7
Week 8: 4
Week 9: 2
Week 10: 6
Week 11: 3
Week 12: 8
Week 13: 6
Week 14: 5

Total: 85
% scrums: 4,6

2007

Week 1: 6
Week 2: 8
Week 3: 15
Week 4: 10
Week 5: 8
Week 6: 7
Week 7: 14
Week 8: 7
Week 9: 5
Week 10: 3
Week 11: 5
Week 12: 6
Week 13: 4
Week 14: 5

Total: 103
% scrums: 5,8

So it seems that the percentage of penalties is up.