Query 1. Where Is The Offside Line?

[ChrisR]

I'm thinking that "the pocket" only really exists when the LH flanker binds back with his shoulder on the second row. When doing this the flanker also often bound at an angle to block out the defending SH and this left a big gap between him and the #8 ie. "the pocket". A lost art, I'm afraid.

 

[L'irlandais]

Previously came up here on RRF. When Taff provided an image showing the pocket.

 

[OB..]

I'm thinking that "the pocket" only really exists when the LH flanker binds back with his shoulder on the second row. When doing this the flanker also often bound at an angle to block out the defending SH and this left a big gap between him and the #8 ie. "the pocket". A lost art, I'm afraid.

The problem they are trying to solve is that a scrum half could get into the pocket legally (as far as offside is concerned), but the ball could move forward and put him offside with no immediate way out. Therefore they want to stop him getting into that position.

 

[Taff]

The problem they are trying to solve is that a scrum half could get into the pocket legally (as far as offside is concerned), but the ball could move forward and put him offside with no immediate way out. Therefore they want to stop him getting into that position.

The reason I was given (no idea by who now) was because the law makers wanted to clean up messy scrums by giving the winning SH fractionally more time to get the ball away.

 

[SimonSmith]

The reason I was given (no idea by who now) was because the law makers wanted to clean up messy scrums by giving the winning SH fractionally more time to get the ball away.

Yes, the read I was given was that competition at the back of the scrum was no longer desired.

And that, ladies and gents, is how Mike Phillips got as many caps as he did. The man can't pass off the ground - he always takes one or two steps. Back when scrum halves were scrum halves, he'd have been mincemeat.