Loosehead Prop help please

Question
Dear Nick,

I was wondering if you could give me any advice on playing as a Loose head Prop?

I have been playing the game for around 10 years and have always played as a Hooker but as I have got older I seem to have been moved to the loose head slot. I am playing at a decent adult club level for England but nothing too high.

I am 5"9 and 90 kg.  I am happy in the loose and lifting in the lineout. The problem I am having is scrum time against bigger technical tight heads. If you have any tips to help in the Scrum I'd really appreciate it.


Many thanks.

Scott Hartley.

Answer
Hi Scott,

I have a lot of past answers to this question, if you get a moment I would try to go back and have a look at them. I will try to put some core principles here.

I am a huge fan of using Youtube to get tips. Professional coaches like Mike Cron the All Blacks scrum coach put up videos all the time.

Mike Cron:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TLloJj3j7Pc

http://youtu.be/28sExPNfbpE

This is a more advanced link, Tony Woodcock on Ben Franks:

http://youtu.be/uOP2IJWCUzk

Here is a link of technique  / body position which you should treat as your gospel:

Scrummaging:

http://www.coachingrugby.com/rugby/coaching/unitskills/scrum/buildingthescrum.ht

http://www.usarugby.org/media/EDocs/scrum.pdf

http://www.texasyouthrugby.com/download/748/docs/Building_the_scrum.pdf

The basic thing about loose head is knowing your core duties in the scrum.

A loose head has to simultaneously create a suitable position for his hooker to hook which will be even more important with the new scrum call of "crouch. bind, set" and a big part of that is destabilizing the tight head who's job it is to remain solid and still/ anchored.

If a loose head can get his head under the sternum of the T.H. and drop his right shoulder on the T.H.'s head he will be able to control the tight head well. You must keep a strong and forceful grip on the T.H. use it as a destabilizing tool not just a place to hold. Never allow a scrum to collapse. Look at the video that analyzes Tony Woodcock. he is a master of this.

Get the basics understood and come back to me with specific questions or feel free to have all your scrums on video for me to review.

Keep in mind the use of your lock and flankers power. You channel that. Imagine getting them to have good technique and increasing their power by 10% and you focus more on you technique. You'll get 20 more power channeled properly. It is an exponential result greater than the sum of its parts.