“PACK LOW AND POSH”

Dominion, Volume 29, Issue 207, 29 May 1936, Page 13

“PACK LOW AND POSH”

Mr. V. R. Meredith’s Hints On Scrum Work LESSONS OF ALL BLACKS "Pack low and push” is the essence of the report on serum tactics prepared fot the New Zealand Rugby Union by Mr. V. R. .Meredith, manager of the All Black team of last year, at the suggestion of the Hon. J. McLeod, the Taranaki member on the management committee of the N.Z.R.U. Mr. Meredith, who bases his hints on the experience of the All Blacks in England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland, emphasises the importance of the men of the front row pushing just as much as other players in the scrum. Mr. Meredith’s report, which has been circulated to affiliated unions for the benefit of clubs, contains the following observations: — “With three men in front the method of formation and pushing is entirely different from that adopted in the two-three-two serum. This difference is mainly in the stance of the men in the front row. In the two-three-two serum the usual stance was taken more or less with the object of being in a comfortable position to hook and at the same time take weight from the lock and side and back men. Pushing by the hookers was not the first consideration. "In Great Britain we found that on our front going down in the customary stance we were hopelessly outpushed, even though our other five men were pushing to their limit. "The cause was found in an examination of the methods of our opponents. It was found that their front three took up a stance which enabled them to pack much lower than our front and to push every ounce they had and as intensely as any other member of the scrum. “The result was that they were underneath us, and we were endeavouring to push eight men all pushing their utmost with only five nten pushing all out and the other three not pushing their full strength. Speed of hooking did not save the situation, as our front was pushed off the ball and in most cases (because of the- referee’s ruling that the ball went in when it had been fielded irrespective of whether the serum was at the place of breach) they were being pushed backward when the ball was put in. Correct Method of Packing. “The correct method of packing in the front, we found, is for the front to get down as low as possible with the two feet together and right back, the back of the player to be absolutely flat and as low as the neck, the position of the legs to be such that he can push with his maximum strength. “It will be found that the hookers used to the old method will be uncomfortable at first, but they must get over it. There is also a tendency for the scrum to collapse in front because the three men have nothing to hold them up and the backward position of the legs will not enable them to keep up unsupported by the opposing scrum. This, however, cannot be avoided. “In packing three in front, _ unless this method is adopted, to gain possession against a team which does adopt it is almost hopeless. “With three in front and virtually only one other rank (in the three-four-one) the weight of the push (of the second row) is spread over a great area and the weight coming from the back is not sufficient if the three in the opposing front are really pushing. “We also found in practice that, however the players were changed round a three-four-one scrum could always push a three-two-three. Also, by correcting our methods, we found we could outpush any pack we met, and we had a tremendous majority in possession when we bad W. E. Hadley. "The old rule applies about the three in front and the locks getting down immediately the scrum is called f° r - We found it advisable, if a lock, was not there, for a side man to get in to enable the nucleus of the scrum to be there to hold the opposing weight.”