Scrum Differences in South Africa
There are differences in the setting of the scrum for schools and some club sides.
The new order is crouch, bind at which stage the players in the front row are ‘ear to ear’, set at which stage the front tows engage, and then, when the scrum is stable, the referee gives the scrumhalf a non-verbal signal to put the ball into the scrum.
The ball is then put into the scrum and there is a contest for the ball. SARU has said that there are some instances when this will not obtain in South Africa this year.
SARU has different ways of having the scum set for Under-9, Under-10 to Under-19 schools, 2nd Division clubs and then 1st division clubs and professional rugby.
Under-9: crouch (ear to ear), bind, set with a passive engagement and ball in but no contest for the ball.
Mini rugby
• Passive engagement or fold-over, with pre-scrum binding
• For Mini-rugby player age groups 5 years old turning 6, and 6 years old turning 7 during the year in question: 3-man uncontested scrums, purely to restart play, with a maximum of 10 players allowed per side
• For Mini-rugby player age groups 7 years old turning 8, and 8 years old turning 9, during the year in question: 5-man uncontested scrums, purely to restart play, with a minimum of 12 players per side required for 5-man scrums OR 8-man uncontested scrums, purely to restart play, with a minimum of 15 players per side required for 8-man scrums
Under-10 to Under-16 and on to Under-19 schools: crouch (align ear-to-ear, and get into spine-in-line and parallel position), bind (come together with a passive engagement, no hit), set and ball in. There is a contest when the ball comes in but the scrum may not be shoved back beyond 1,5 metres
*No wheeling. A team must not intentionally wheel a scrum
*If a wheel reaches 45°, the referee must stop play
*If the wheel is unintentional, the referee orders another scrum at the place where the scrum is stopped
*No turnover possession when the scrum wheels through 45°
Both loose-head and tight-head props must bind with their elbows not lower than their shoulder line
Management
*Should there be a gross mismatch, inadequacy or unsuitability of either of the forward packs, then scrums may be contested in the format of the previous level i.e. Undre-16
*Failing that, uncontested scrums should be called for by the referee
2nd Division clubs: crouch, bind, set and ball in. There is a full contest when the ball comes in.
*No deliberate wheeling of the scrum
*No turnover possession when the scrum wheels through 90°
*Both loose-head and tight-head props must bind with their elbows not lower than their shoulder line
Management
Should there be a gross mismatch, inadequacy or unsuitability of either of the forward packs, then uncontested scrums should be called for by the referee
1st Division clubs and provincial and national senior teams: crouch, bind, set and ball in. There is a contest when the ball comes in. This is true, too, for Under-19 and Under-21 provincial matches and the four competitions under the aegis of the Varsity Cup.
