Autumn Internationals this weekend

[moggy]

It might help in the long run, but I don't see why we don't just build the scrum front row, second row, back row. The hit's perhaps entertaining for people who don't really care about rugby, but it's just shortening players' careers.

As will the clearing out at the rucks! can't see how we can have people going flying in.. only surprise is there has not been more serious injuries.

[psychocandy]

Never mind that; the Pacific Island guys are mostly complete gentlemen, some of the nicest guys you could be lucky enough to meet. Spare some thought for those of us who've had to try and stop them when they're running at 11 second 100 metre pace.

I remember a guy called Nalu Tau. Fijian prop who played for Pontypridd. (ponty ponty ponty - ole ole ole ole!)

Massive he was. Scored a try once he was 10m from line opposing scrum half in the way. He stopped running waited for scrum half to grab then took hold of his collar and chucked him aside.

Met him once in the sauna of local lesiure centre. Cracking fella he was. Really quiet and shy as well though. Couldnt understand why everyone held him in reverence.

[Mich the Tester]

As will the clearing out at the rucks! can't see how we can have people going flying in.. only surprise is there has not been more serious injuries.

Hitting a ruck hard is fine if you do it with correct technique, as in; drop through knees instead of bending down, bind to team mate, back straight, head up, eyes open, hit and shove in a slightly upward movement. However, some people seem to think a pile of bodies including people who can't see you is an excuse to fling themselves in headfirst with no regard to the human beings lying there defenceless, and there are laws against this, which can involve yellow and red carding, but it's up to refs to remember their first duty is the safety of the players, and bloody well enforce the law at the rucks.

And in danger of doing a Brian Moore; the put in at the scrum must be straight and down the middle, Mssrs Poncey International Professional Refs who used to be backs and have done all the fitness tests but have never been in a scrum and don't really even know what it is.

Having stopped playing, I take a slightly different view to some of the dangerous aspects of the game these days even though I was as nasty as most others as a player; players really need the protection of tough laws and tough refs because without that, the 50 or 60 years you hope to live after 30 years of rugby won't be much good.

[psychocandy]

Dale Macintosh, Pontypridd. A brute to stop and he tackled like a chieftain tank. He played a lot of 7s and 10s for invitation sides; very often I think teams exaggerate the size of their players in the match programme for the sake of some psychological thing. But this guy's listed at 6'4'' and 17 stone; I'm fooking sure he's bigger than that. Half way through a game of 10s the sun set behind him at a throw in and left me clutching at the ball in the dark. I sort of tackled him a couple of times. He ran at me, I flung my body in front of him somewhat suicidally, bounced off him and he fell over on top of me.

Best tackle EVER EVER EVER - The Chief and Andy Robinson - YouTube

Chief is a legend in the valleys STILL. Harder man you will not meet.
Coaches Ponty now.

[Mich the Tester]

Best tackle EVER EVER EVER - The Chief and Andy Robinson - YouTube

Chief is a legend in the valleys STILL. Harder man you will not meet.
Coaches Ponty now.

Ouch.

[Acme Thunderer]

And in danger of doing a Brian Moore; the put in at the scrum must be straight and down the middle, Mssrs Poncey International Professional Refs who used to be backs and have done all the fitness tests but have never been in a scrum and don't really even know what it is.

.

Had the pleasure of attending a referee meeting where Brian Moore gave his insight into the scrum. He demonstrated that if you got the scrum half to put the ball in straight you don't get collapsed scrums. The reason being the hooker needs a stationary scrum to hook it a straight ball, which means his pack doesn't want to push. Similarly the oppositon hooker wants a steady scrum so he can strike for the ball. So neither side wants to push at the scrum until the ball is in so it stays stable and upright.

I'm now quite happy to hand out the free kicks if the scrummie doesn't put it in straight or a pack is through the mark before the ball is in. Don't get any (or very few) collapsed scrums and even get balls won against the head. Alright I'm not at a high standard of game but it does work.

[Mich the Tester]

Had the pleasure of attending a referee meeting where Brian Moore gave his insight into the scrum. He demonstrated that if you got the scrum half to put the ball in straight you don't get collapsed scrums. The reason being the hooker needs a stationary scrum to hook it a straight ball, which means his pack doesn't want to push. Similarly the oppositon hooker wants a steady scrum so he can strike for the ball. So neither side wants to push at the scrum until the ball is in so it stays stable and upright.

I'm now quite happy to hand out the free kicks if the scrummie doesn't put it in straight or a pack is through the mark before the ball is in. Don't get any (or very few) collapsed scrums and even get balls won against the head. Alright I'm not at a high standard of game but it does work.

Very logical and glad to hear you're taking this seriously. Just a shame that too many international refs aren't prepared to believe what one of the greatest front row players in history says about scrummaging.

Perhaps oddly, but out of experience, I think that the 'hit' is actually doing damage to second rows and possibly back rows too. You put all your force into smashing the front row into their opposite numbers, and all the force of two powerful legs (anything up to 2 kW momentarily) goes through one shoulder, whereby your upper arm is actually slightly dislodged (not to the point of dislocation) every time you do it (worse if you aren't completely accurate in the hit); over the years, that ruins the joint capsule and tendons. It's absolutely stupid and should be stopped. Shoulders are not built to take those forces on top of all the tackles and the hitting the ground when you set up a ruck. My shoulder's fooked (joint capsule torn and nerve damage) and the orthopaedic specialist I spoke to (a former Irish international) says he expects many more ageing players to come in with fooked shoulders in the coming years.

[shaunbhoy]

All Blacks by 20

[moggy]

Not happy to see the Agentinian rolling around trying to get Jones a Yellow, hope this isn;t creeping in now... leave that for soccer puffs.

The French did much the same in the Semi for Warburtons Red.

[Acme Thunderer]

Not happy to see the Agentinian rolling around trying to get Jones a Yellow, hope this isn;t creeping in now... leave that for soccer puffs.

The French did much the same in the Semi for Warburtons Red.

French didn't need to do anything to get him sent off, it was a Red Card. Even Warburton admits that.