Quote:
Originally Posted by troutman
Enjoyed that game. Tonga missed a few goal kicks.
Can an expert explain for a newbie the point of scrums (and line-outs to a lesser extent)? It seems that the team throwing the ball in, almost always gets control.
|
*Disclaimer* The below explanation is being made by a prop... */Disclaimer*
Scrum:
A scrum occurs when a team commits an infraction that is not worth of a penalty. Some of these infractions are as follows:
1) Knock on - losing possession of the ball forwards
2) Forward pass
3) Unintentional obstruction - this is a grey area and it is really up to the ref if it was intentional or not. An intentional obstruction is a penalty.
4) Ball stuck in a ruck or maul.
The scrum gives the team who get to put the ball into the scrum an opportunity to earn full possession. As far as why a scrum is used I do not really know the history.
Line-out
Conducted when a ball goes out of play (into "touch"). Similar to a scrum, allows the team throwing the ball an opportunity to gain full possession. Also a great opportunity to set up a rolling maul, we saw several of these in the Tonga game, one lead to the last Canadian try.
Method of going into touch - result
Player steps into touch - Opposing teams line-out
Ball inside of 22* line kicked into touch - Opposing teams line-out where ball crossed into touch
Ball outside of 22 line kicked into touch - Opposing teams line-out where the ball was kicked from (This is called going out on "the full")
Team awarded a penalty kicks into touch - team retains possession and gets line-out where ball entered touch.
* - The ball needs to start inside the 22. If the ball is brought back inside the 22 by the kicking team and then kicked into touch, this is treated as if the ball went out on the full and the line-out takes place at the point where the ball was kicked from.
Quick line-out: If the ball goes into touch, the team who get to throw can take a quick line out (throw it in before everyone gets there) provided the ball was not interfered with (hits a wall, fan, touch judge, ect.).
Please ask more questions if you have any, it would be my pleasure to talk about the game.
My Game Takes:
Overall, I think Tongo took Canada too lightly. They chose to sit 11 of their starters and it showed through some undisciplined and sloppy play. That said, Canada had a fantastic game. Their tackling was fantastic and they were a solid wall at every breakdown. They made numerous tackles on Tonga behind the gain line. Tonga is know for hard hitting play around the breakdowns and Canada more than held their own.
Tonga's kicker let them down in the first half, but he did have a huge wind to contend with. He was nowhere near as terrible as Wilkinson was for England.
Canada's #6 was fantastic and more than deserving of the man of the match. He had an amazing game and made some crunching tackles.
Canada's entire pack performed great in the scrum and deserves recognition. They held their own against a big pack from Tonga. If anyone watch the USA's first game, their pack was on rollerskates during every scrum and got molested in their first game.
Great game to watch and an awesome result.
