RUGBY FOOTBALL: SCRUM FORMATION

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23884, 11 August 1939, Page 14

RUGBY FOOTBALL: SCRUM FORMATION

TO THE EDITOR

Sir, —Well, we have learned a lesson at Invercargill concerning scrum formations. That a 3-2-3 scrum cannot hold its own with a 3-4-1 scrum was amply demonstrated. The outside men in the front row of a 3-2-3 scrum are pushed back by a 3-4-1 scrum through the simple fact that the two locks are trying to hold three men against a front row of three men held by four men anchored by a big man in the back row. When the outside frontrow men in a 3-2-3 scrum are pushed back and partially out of the scrum they cannot give their weight and support to the hooker, and, all said and done, the hooker is the man who is supposed to have the sustained weight of the other seven forwards in his endeavour to get the ball for his team.. After watching the Pirates First tirade in a few matches, and noticing the wonderful success they had with a 3-4-1 scrum, I would suggest that the Pirates Club’s coach be asked to broadcast on the packing of a 3-4-1, scrum, as he evidently has given a lot of time and thought to this scrum formation, judging by the amount of ball his team has been getting from set scrums this season. ■ This talk. I think, would be a wonderful thing for country football teams, for, as an old country footballer, I knof that Information from experts on football is highly appreciated.—4 am, etc., Onlooker. Dunedin,. August 0;.