scrum positioning

wrighty


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where should TJ s stand in relation to the scrum,in order to keep 5 m offside line in check?
 

BurritoKing


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I usually tell the ARs/TJs to go 5 meters to their right. That way one is covering each teams' offside line.

Certain situations will come up when this is not the best practice, such as near in-goal, but those are dealt with at that time.
 

Dixie


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I usually tell the ARs/TJs to go 5 meters to their right. That way one is covering each teams' offside line.
Whenever I am an AR, I move 8m (not 5), usually to my left (though it doesn't matter which way you go, as long as both AR's don't end up opposite each other!). I find that from the mark to the back of the #8's feet is usually pretty close to 3m, so you go 5m beyond that. Don't hold your flag to indicate the line: use your other hand.
 

The Fat


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If I am AR and the other TJ is a novice/someone from one of the clubs, it's easier to just tell him to step to his right and a good 5m from #8's feet. If I have another accredited AR, we will work as Lead and Trail ARs.
 

Taff


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Whenever I am an AR, I move 8m (not 5), usually to my left (though it doesn't matter which way you go, as long as both AR's don't end up opposite each other!). ..
That's the way I was told to do it; ie if both TJs mark out the offside line to their left they should be diagonally from each other. The keyword is "diagonally" ie both TJs shouldn't be marking the same offside line.

A top tip is to note how many steps it takes you to pace out 5m - easily done as the pitch is littered with 5m lines. Eg I know that it takes 6 of my normal steps to cover 5m. Obviously you just double the number of paces when measuring out 10m offside lines at LOs.
 
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Robert Burns

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We have moved away from this now, and I believe rightly so.

We no longer police the attackers offside line, generally there is no point, they are only cutting their own options down if they cross it, so it's never material.

Far TJ will police the offside line of the defence, near TJ will stand level with scrum to keep an eye on the opposite side for the ref.

If the Scrum is in the middle, the TJ on the refs side will police the offside.

It works very well.
 

Dickie E


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It bugs me that teams no longer make the decision but go where the TJ is. Then whinge if the TJ is off doing some other duties.
 

4eyesbetter


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We have moved away from this now, and I believe rightly so.

We no longer police the attackers offside line, generally there is no point, they are only cutting their own options down if they cross it, so it's never material.

Far TJ will police the offside line of the defence, near TJ will stand level with scrum to keep an eye on the opposite side for the ref.

If the Scrum is in the middle, the TJ on the refs side will police the offside.

It works very well.

What if the ball gets taken against the head, though? We do the same thing in RL and for us it's not an issue. Are scrums really that uncompetitive where you are that you can safely commit one way or the other?
 

wilksy


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If it goes against the head, the defending side will more than likely be further away than 5m anyway because they were set up for attacking. It doesnt cover all eventualities but the convention of TJ for defending offside line only deals with the main issues in my opinion.
 

OB..


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If the ball is taken against the head (first two scrums last Saturday in my game, one each!) the most likely problem is the attacking team coming up too far in defence. But at the sort of level where that might occur, you have TJs, not ARs so it is for the referee to check.
 

the magpie


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We no longer police the attackers offside line, generally there is no point, they are only cutting their own options down if they cross it, so it's never material.

You still need to watch the attacking offside line when there is a defensive scrum in the 22, especially close to the line. Inside backs will be tempted, as before the 5 came in, to stand adjacent to the scrum so as to block chargers coming through on the kicker. You have to manage them back the 5.

I still use lead/trail, unless told otherwise by the ref, and it is what is taught at AR training courses in NSW. It allows better positioning for post scrum play, and where I am an AR, I am rarely asked my opinion of a scrum.

The only time you would deviate from that is where you are the only AR (with the other line patrolled by a TJ), where I would always go to the defensive 5.
 
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