RUGBY FOOTBALL

Hokitika Guardian, 28 May 1936, Page 4

RUGBY FOOTBALL

THREE MEN FRONT ROW. EXPERIENCE OF ALL BLACKS With a view to assisting clubs to a better understanding of the three in the front row scrum, the New Ze - .land-Rugby Union asked the manager of the All Blacks (Mr V. R. Meredith), on his return from England, for his opinion of the proper working of this scrum. Mr Meredith’s report follows: “With three men ini front, tlie method of formation and pushing was entirely different from that as accepted in New Zealand in a 2-3-2 . formation, said Mr Meredith. This differ-

ence was main’y in the stand of the front row men. In the 2-3-2 scrum, pushing by the hookers was not the first consideration. In Br’taih, the All Blacks found that Avhen the front men went down in their usual stance they were hopelessly outpushedl It was found that the opponents’ front three took up a stance that enabled them to pack much lower than the All Blacks’ front, and to push as strongly as.any other member of the team.

“The correct method of packipg in front, it was found, is for the front to get, down as low as possible, with the two feet together and right back, the hack of the player to be absoluely flat and as low as his neck,” Mr 'Meredith continued. “The position of the legs must be such that the player can use his maximum strength. It will he found that the hookers used to the old stance will feel uncomfmtable .at first, but they must get over that. If the scrum packing three in front does not adopt this stance, it is almost hopeless to try to get. the ball from a pack that does.” '