Scrum: The 'Impracticable' law change
REACTION: There has been widespread approval from players and former players after World Rugby recently outlawed ‘pre-loading’ in scrums.
However, current USA head coach Gary Gold has raised a few questions about this decision. ‘Pre-loading’ is where front rows press their heads into the shoulders of the opposition between the ‘bind’ and ‘set’ calls in the scrum.
However, the former Springboks assistant coach has said on Twitter that it is “mechanically impossible” to implement this law change.
The laws state that there should be space between the front rows before the scrum engages, but that there should also be a legal long bind between props.
A long bind provides more stability in the scrum and makes it harder for props to manipulate the opposite player. Gold is effectively saying that ‘pre-loading’ is inevitable if props are to have a legal bind in the scrum.
While Gold supports a lot of what World Rugby are doing, he has claimed this is “impracticable and a box-ticking exercise”. This is what he said:
Dont agree at all. How can a front row keep the space, & also get a legal long bind. This is not mechanicaly possible!! Apologies to the the Science gurus, who BTW I think have many other issues spot on, but this time it is impracticable and a box ticking exercise. https://t.co/rhsYmq4OJF
— Gary Gold (@GaryGoldrugbyiq) July 17, 2019
The former Bath and Worcester Warriors coach also went on to raise another question, which relates to how this law change is enforced.
‘Pre-loading’ is something that both sides do more or less simultaneously, and Gold has therefore questioned who the referee chooses to penalise.
Already this looks like an area that may cause controversy among teams next season, where they may feel wrongly accused by officials and hard done by.
So here is a ? If the two front rows do have heads against each other’s shoulders, who do you penalise?? This decision on top of all the other issues refs have to deal with like early engagements, who collapses etc!!! https://t.co/rhsYmq4OJF
— Gary Gold (@GaryGoldrugbyiq) July 17, 2019
The World Rugby Law Review Group met recently in London to discuss these law variations, as the ultimate objective is always to make rugby safer.
They were helped by international hookers Jamie George, Ken Owens, and Rory Best, who would have all provided input from a professional player’s perspective.
There is no doubt that this new law will do away with a needless and dangerous aspect of the scrum, and while Gold will, of course, support the pursuit in making the game safer, he is simply highlighting the impracticality of this decision.
The law will be implemented immediately, so it will not take long to see if Gold is right in branding this new law “mechanically impossible”.
Rugbypass
Related news:
WORLD RUGBY CONFIRMS CHANGE TO SCRUM LAW
WORLD RUGBY BAN POTENTIALLY CATASTROPHIC PRACTICE
