Numbers in uncontested scrum

[crossref]

In my game on Saturday I had uncontested scrums.

After a few scrums one of the teams asked me if they could drop the #8 from the scrum when they were defending, and have him the line instead.

I can't see any reason why not, but it made me wonder why why don't see more experimentation with numbers when scrums are uncontested. Eg on an attacking scrum, why not drop to six, or five, putting your back row in the line. At the very least it might bring confusion to the oppo.

 

[Stuartg]

In my game on Saturday I had uncontested scrums.

After a few scrums one of the teams asked me if they could drop the #8 from the scrum when they were defending, and have him the line instead.

I can't see any reason why not, but it made me wonder why why don't see more experimentation with numbers when scrums are uncontested. Eg on an attacking scrum, why not drop to six, or five, putting your back row in the line. At the very least it might bring confusion to the oppo.

See Law 20.1(e)

15 on the pitch, must have 8 in the scrum.

14 on the pitch, you have the option of 7 or 8

13 on the pitch you have the option of 6, 7 or 8

 

[crossref]

Well there is the answer (blush)

In my game, for most of the game neither side had 15
We started 15 v 13, and uncontested, it was a rout and the winning team voluntarily dropped a player to make it 14 v 13 , then a sub arrived so we were 14 each, later after injuries the winning team lent players to the losing team.
Neither team ever got back to the full 15

It was on of those afternoons. Final score 108 - 0

 

[Lee Lifeson-Peart]

Well there is the answer (blush)

In my game, for most of the game neither side had 15
We started 15 v 13, and uncontested, it was a rout and the winning team voluntarily dropped a player to make it 14 v 13 , then a sub arrived so we were 14 each, later after injuries the winning team lent players to the losing team.
Neither team ever got back to the full 15

It was on of those afternoons. Final score 108 - 0

Cor blimey guv'nor!

There was a league match (albeit the bottom tier) in Yorkshire this weekend just gone that finished 143-5

 

[Simon Thomas]

In my game on Saturday I had uncontested scrums.

After a few scrums one of the teams asked me if they could drop the #8 from the scrum when they were defending, and have him the line instead.

I can't see any reason why not, but it made me wonder why why don't see more experimentation with numbers when scrums are uncontested. Eg on an attacking scrum, why not drop to six, or five, putting your back row in the line. At the very least it might bring confusion to the oppo.

Not if they have 15 players on the pitch - see Law 20 in the good book.

 

[Ciaran Trainor]

if it was the team that didn't score I may have been tempted to turn a blind eye

 

[Taff]

What age were they?

At U19 scrums have to match - contested or not.

 

[crossref]

these were adults. For some reason even when they playing with variously 14 or 13 players they were both packing with eight.

but I get the answer now : with 14 players you can have 7 or 8 in the scrum.
with 13 players you can have 6,7 or 8 in the scrum.

So I was right to let them remove their #8.