[Scrum] Confused about these 2 scrum laws. Help please !

[Ian_Cook]

I dont mind the concept. And hard to criticise it until you try it - but my only reservation (and it may be baseless) is rhat it's just another thing we'd have to look out for andif our focus is on the strike deep inside a scrum then your focus is taken away from other elements of things that can, will, and go wrong in a scrum... things like the FR shoulders/back and binds...then also what the backline and SHs are doing. We have a lot to look at and take in now adding another one to make a judgment on may be bringing in a new monkey for the ref.

As Pegleg says, you are supposed to look for a straight feed anyway, so the only way I think you could not see if the opposition hooker has struck is if you have "tunnel vision" (no pun intended).

 

[The Fat]

Don't forget that this is already part of 20.2


(c) Hooker in a position to hook. Until the ball is thrown in, the hooker must be in a position to hook the ball. The hookers must have both feet on the ground, with their weight firmly on at least one foot. A hooker’s foremost foot must not be in front of the foremost foot of that team’s props.
Sanction: Free Kick

So technically, the hooker from the non-feeding side who is the 8th person in the 8 v 7 shove is not complying with the Laws. Not sure we will ever see that FK awarded

 

[Ian_Cook]

Don't forget that this is already part of 20.2


(c) Hooker in a position to hook. Until the ball is thrown in, the hooker must be in a position to hook the ball. The hookers must have both feet on the ground, with their weight firmly on at least one foot. A hooker’s foremost foot must not be in front of the foremost foot of that team’s props.
Sanction: Free Kick

So technically, the hooker from the non-feeding side who is the 8th person in the 8 v 7 shove is not complying with the Laws. Not sure we will ever see that FK awarded

1. Would you?

2. Just because he has his feet in a position to hook, doesn't mean he is going to.

I would still back the non-feeding hooker to get his feet back for the push before feeding hooker (who chooses to strike) does.

 

[Pegleg]

Don't forget that this is already part of 20.2


(c) Hooker in a position to hook. Until the ball is thrown in, the hooker must be in a position to hook the ball. The hookers must have both feet on the ground, with their weight firmly on at least one foot. A hooker’s foremost foot must not be in front of the foremost foot of that team’s props.
Sanction: Free Kick

So technically, the hooker from the non-feeding side who is the 8th person in the 8 v 7 shove is not complying with the Laws. Not sure we will ever see that FK awarded

It is not that a hooker can't hook if his feet are back. It is very (very) difficut to do so, true But you can't say he is not in a position to hook.

However, as Ian points out it is not "being is a position to do so" rather it is "whether or not you do so" that is the issue. If BOTH hookers must "hook" - that is, take one foot of the ground - we have 7½ V 7½ not 7 v 8 and thus balance.