Slingshot scrumming - What is it?
It is semifinal time in the Currie Cup and lots of anxious dancing about because a semi means so much for the teams, not least financially. There are lots of efforts to get a nudge ahead of the opponents. One such attempt at one-up-manship is the suggestion that Western Province illegally uses a ‘slingshot engagement’.
It was a technique which Western Province used to use when Luke Watson was at eighthman.
He would lean back from the scrum, head up, holding his locks by hands only and pulling them back. Then as the scrum was engaging, he would shove his head in and push the locks forward.
This was discussed at a conference in Lensbury, London, and in 2009, in answer to a query from New Zealand, the International Rugby Board made a ruling.
New Zealand’s query was as follows:
Law 20 was amended with effect from January 2007 – a four stage engagement process was introduced. This was promulgated to reduce the impact and the velocity of the engagement process. There are some teams who employ a practice whereby the Number 8 does not bind in accordance with Law prior to the scrum engagement. The Number 8 stands and pulls back on the locks shorts and then pushes the locks forward which would appear to increase the impact of the engagement process and can increase instability.
Law 20.3 (f) Binding by all other players. All other players in a scrum, other than front-row players must bind on a lock’s body with at least one arm. The locks must bind with the props in front of them. No players other than a prop may hold an opponent.
The NZRU believe that this means that the Number 8 is obliged to bind in accordance with Law 20.3 (f) on engagement and if he does not do so renders himself liable to sanction with a penalty kick.
The IRB’s subcommittee, called the Designated Members of the Rugby Committee, gave the following ruling/clarification:
The Designated Members confirm that all players including the Number 8 are required to bind in accordance with Law 20.3 on engagement. Additionally Law 20.7 heading states WHEN THE SCRUM BEGINS whilst
20.7 (a) Play in the scrum begins when the ball leaves the hands of the scrum half.
The word play within the body of the Law indicates the start of the contest for the ball rather than the engagement process. Players must therefore conform to the Laws from the time that the scrum is awarded including Law 20.3.
This in effect put paid to the Watson practice, and Western Province are happy that this is not what Duane Vermeulen does.
Teams have different methods of effecting the engagement. Some use the front rows to initiate the engagement. Some use the No.8. Both Western Province and the Cheetahs use the No.8 to initiate the forward impetus at the time of engagement in a scrum.
That is legal, provided that the No.8 is correctly bound from the start. If he is correctly bound it is impossible for him to pull back for a slingshot engagement.
The danger for a team using the No.8 to provide the impetus on engagement is that it may preempt the referee’s instruction. As the referee said: Engagement starts on the ‘e’ of engagement, not the ‘e’ of pause.
He also said that an instruction to this effect has caused confusion to some front rows who thought that the third instruction was spelt p-a-w-s.
