Scrumming together

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This simple session develops players’ core strength and scrummaging position by making them control their body shape as they move. Scrummagers work together, so it makes it a co-operative session and not a competitive one. Good for all scrummaging positions.

Warm up time: 5
Session time: 6-9
Development time: 6-9
Game time: 15-20
Warm down time: 7

What to think about

Players have to adopt a good pushing position, with their knees pointing towards the ground and directly below their hips. The hips and shoulders should be square. In the 1v1 and 3v3 situations, all the players should be communicating to help them move as one. Each movement will require a rebalance and adjustment. Let the players find their own solutions, but the key will be small movements with the feet and working to get the hips and shoulders square to maintain the balance.

set-up

Pull in your bind to work with the opposite player.
Keep your hips and shoulders square and keep moving the feet to adjust.
Small steps to move.
Communicate and co-operate.

What you get your players to do

Put two ruck pad holders together. Have a player push his head through the gap in the middle and bind around the pads. He should have his back flat and his knees under his hips. While bound to the ruck pad holders, he should push and step towards each cone in the square, returning to the middle after reaching each cone.

One player binds on to the two ruck pads in a driving position. The group has to move to each cone and back to the centre.

Development

Set up a 1v1 scrum, with the players working together to move to each cone, so their shoulders go over each cone. This can be tough with just two players, so keep the cones close together. Make sure they bind on the back of their opposite number. Develop further by scrummaging 3v3.

Related Files

core-224-scrumming-together.pdfPDF, 227 KB

Two players bind up and then move to each cone from the centre. They work co-operatively while maintaining their binds and body positions.

Game situation

Six players jog around throwing a ball to each other. When you shout “SCRUM”, the player with the ball becomes the “lead” player. The group forms into a 3v3 scrum and the lead player tells the scrum to go forward or sideways based on his position.

Three players bind up and then move to each cone from the centre. They work co-operatively while maintaining their binds and body positions.

What to call out

“Keep holding a strong body position”
“Feel the strain in the stomach area”
“Work with your toes in the ground”

Dan Cottrell

Dan is a practising RFU Level 3 coach and coach educator. He coaches with the Bristol Bears DPP programme, is head coach of Bristol Schools U18s and the Rugby Performance coach for Bristol Grammar School.

He was head coach of Swansea Schools U15, Young Ospreys Academy, assistant coach with the Wales Women's Team for the 2010 World Cup, director of rugby for Cranleigh School, Surrey. He played for Bath, Bristol, Esher and Clifton, South West division, Gloucestershire and Surrey.

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