Re: Scrums - Stay or go in 2021? : Mon Nov 16, 2020 7:51 pm  

If we can't bring back the old "contested" scrum why don't we adopt a "miniature" scrum and enforce proper heeled ptbs (as they should be), and allow the player marking to strike for the ball as they used to be allowed to do. This would do away with the time wasting time of the full scrum yet allow a little bit of skilful competition. If not I reluctantly would have to do away with the scrum altogether.
The only reason the contested scrum became obsolete was because referees were not strict enough with offending players, hence all the penalties

Re: Scrums - Stay or go in 2021? : Mon Nov 16, 2020 8:02 pm  

What I find strange is that teams must be able to actually contest at the scrum, just no one does it that often, you see the opposition team pushing and winning the ball back on the odd occasion.

Re: Scrums - Stay or go in 2021? : Mon Nov 16, 2020 8:03 pm  

Tell you what. If those on here are just interested in speeding the game up more and more why don't we do away with ten players and just have a left wing and a right wing with a "scrum half" in the middle. No scrums, no knock ons, no tackles (they slow the game down), no tactical kicks for touch. That should really bring the crowds in.

Re: Scrums - Stay or go in 2021? : Mon Nov 16, 2020 8:45 pm  

Redscat wrote:

:IDEA:
Tell you what. If those on here are just interested in speeding the game up more and more why don't we do away with ten players and just have a left wing and a right wing with a "scrum half" in the middle. No scrums, no knock ons, no tackles (they slow the game down), no tactical kicks for touch. That should really bring the crowds in.

They tried something similar years ago, reduced the number of players on the pitch from 30 to 26, how did that work out. I’m sure the 30 players game is bigger than our game, both domestically and globally.

[PopTart]

Re: Scrums - Stay or go in 2021? : Tue Nov 17, 2020 12:51 am  

Personally I want to keep scrums.
It is a traditional part of the game. It gives the players a break on an already fast game.
Still keep the shot clock and I'd add that if you want to stop the clock by forming the scrum, the platers in the scrum when clock is stopped must stay in when play starts

Re: Scrums - Stay or go in 2021? : Tue Nov 17, 2020 10:35 am  

Redscat wrote:

:IDEA:
Tell you what. If those on here are just interested in speeding the game up more and more why don't we do away with ten players and just have a left wing and a right wing with a "scrum half" in the middle. No scrums, no knock ons, no tackles (they slow the game down), no tactical kicks for touch. That should really bring the crowds in.

In reply, you scoff but to be fair RL has been changing the rules consistently since it began. If we hadn’t you’d be watching RU, is that what you want? Yes we get it wrong at times and in recent years it’s been a bit to often but all the same it drives the game.

To me RU is a game for nerds who love rules and regulation, RL is for those who wish to be entertained. With that comes an element of dumbing down or simplification depending how you see it but it’s still way better than kick and clap.

Re: Scrums - Stay or go in 2021? : Tue Nov 17, 2020 10:56 am  

Redscat wrote:

:IDEA:
Tell you what. If those on here are just interested in speeding the game up more and more why don't we do away with ten players and just have a left wing and a right wing with a "scrum half" in the middle. No scrums, no knock ons, no tackles (they slow the game down), no tactical kicks for touch. That should really bring the crowds in.

Not sure if anyone has mentioned speeding up the game, most comments are around scrums not really being missed and how not having them, may help RL with its own identity.
I think there is work to be done on how to allow some breaks in play. The current situation with the "shot clock" counting down while the markers deliberately wait doesn't look great but, lets face it, scrums have been a joke in all of the 40+ years that I've been watching.
EVERY scrum is "fed" (in both League and Union) so, what's the point.

[PopTart]

Re: Scrums - Stay or go in 2021? : Tue Nov 17, 2020 12:08 pm  

vastman wrote:

In reply, you scoff but to be fair RL has been changing the rules consistently since it began. If we hadn’t you’d be watching RU, is that what you want? Yes we get it wrong at times and in recent years it’s been a bit to often but all the same it drives the game.

To me RU is a game for nerds who love rules and regulation, RL is for those who wish to be entertained. With that comes an element of dumbing down or simplification depending how you see it but it’s still way better than kick and clap.

I don't share your view on Union. Its a great game to play steeped in history with a great social scene attached to it. It is marketed perfectly and has a massive international following.
And rugby has Laws not Rules.

It's just different to League. I far prefer league to watch but Union is enjoyable too.
Having more complex rules doesn't make it for nerds.

Re: Scrums - Stay or go in 2021? : Tue Nov 17, 2020 12:48 pm  

I think scrums should go but shot clock time reduced too

Re: Scrums - Stay or go in 2021? : Tue Nov 17, 2020 1:06 pm  

vastman wrote:

In reply, you scoff but to be fair RL has been changing the rules consistently since it began. If we hadn’t you’d be watching RU, is that what you want? Yes we get it wrong at times and in recent years it’s been a bit to often but all the same it drives the game.

To me RU is a game for nerds who love rules and regulation, RL is for those who wish to be entertained. With that comes an element of dumbing down or simplification depending how you see it but it’s still way better than kick and clap.

Agree with both paragraphs, particularly the second, up to a point, but it seems to me that there appears to be a rule change at the start of every season with particular emphasis on "speeding up the game". At what point does rugby league become not rugby league anymore.. I've been watching rl since the mid-fifties and ,yes, the game has speeded up a hell of a lot but in my eye it does not make it any more of an exciting spectacle than it was 65 years ago. The winning of the scrum was an integral part of the procedure of the game; we still had the speed and excitement of a winger going full tilt for the line, and the ducking and weaving of the no. 6 and no.7. I think possibly one of the the biggest differences between the game of today and yesteryear is the fitness of the players. The game today just seems to be a case of what the Aussies do today we have to (try and) do tomorrow.