Hooking

Question
Hello. I am a freshmen in college and playing rugby for the first time ever. I'm about 5'7 and 190lbs, also I am starting hooker on my team for second team. I am generally a athletic kid who is strong and fit. I played high-school football and lacrosse if that helps.  I am having a problem in the scrum generally. I get low and I can hook the ball fine. However my coach want me to get even lower the other team when we face them in a scrum. When I find myself getting to low though I cannot move my hooking leg because I have weight on it, how do I get low enough with putting enough weight on my back leg while being balance and being able to hook the ball? Also is there any special way for hooking other than just raking the ball on both my scrum and the opposites?  Someone advised me to kick the ball at the other team so it may bounce back at me, does that work because I'm afraid ill just kick it to their locks and 8man. Thank you for any feedback.

Answer
Hi Rich

Getting low is essential and reall comes from working with your props and trusting them. The need to ge low while having a fiercly tight bind to you so you can hang off them and hook. You should be able to bout your non-hooking leg well back behind you like a lock or a prop might and you should hook with the leg furthest from the ball. To get your hips open and facing the put in have your tight head bind first and then your loosehead, allow your hips to swivel towards the open side so your right leg can come up an rake. Also you need to work with your half back to have as fast a put in as possible maybe even on the engage and have him push the envelope on not-putting it in straight. Most refs just want the scrum over so hardly ever police that rule so take advantage of it.

Use you tube for video on scrumming for your front row and locks anything by Mike Cron the All Blacks Scrum coach is good.

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

Also there are some GREAT pointers on You Tube. If you go to You Tube and search using the key words: "building the scrum" you will find a great set of videos about scrum technique originally from www.rugbydevelopment.com Get the whole team to view them. Key word search "Mike Cron scrum" for direct tips from the All Black scrum coach.

Keep looking on You Tube for video by Mike Cron and other professional coaches about scrum technique. Start here: http://youtu.be/TLloJj3j7Pc