Scrummaging rugby drill

If you have more than a scrum's worth of players, then you can set up some defenders to enhance the reality of the situation.

Remember to practise defensively as well, with a back row move being performed against the scrum, so the players have to retreat to defend.

Scrum and ruck combinations follow well as drills. It is well worth having drills where the forwards have to run backwards from a scrum to the ruck. The backs have a nasty habit of not breaking the gain line for some teams.

Summary of a great scrummaging drill session

• Warm up rugby drill: Remember necks and backs.
  
  
• The players: Outline the rugby coaching session. For instance, full scrums, with a gentle start at first.
  
  
• The parts: focus on individual technique and skills. Build the scrum slowly if needed - three man scrums (front row only), then five man, then the full scrum.
  
  
• The whole: concentrate on winning the hit. Work on: the focus (for instance, the distance to hit); and "real life" scrummaging (for example, practice scrums between handling drills and in defence).

Outcomes checklist for drills:

• Every forward has scrummaged.
  
  
• Every forward tried one different position in the scrum.
  
  
• Technique has been taught under control.
  
  
• Control has been taught under pressure.
  
  
• Pressure has been taught in game situations.
  
  
• After the warm-up drill, 10 minutes have been spent on each aspect of the rugby drill.
  
  
• The rugby coaching session was short, sharp, effective with a clear focus.

To find out more, read Secrets of the Front Row, my ground-breaking rugby coaching and skills manual that shows you how to get more power from your scrum and deliver top quality first-phase ball.

Click here for rugby coaching tips to run a scrummaging session.