Tips for Regional trials.

Question
Hi,
I'm 14 and have just started playing this season, i play tight head prop. My coach recommended me to try out for the regional team for my state because there isn't many front rows and he thinks i could get in. Can you give me some tips for when i try out( I'm pretty sure we just play a game)Especially in scrums and rucking.
Thanks.
Aaron

Answer
Hi Aaron, I suggest going through my old answers and looking at anything to do with Srums, rucks and mauls. Also tackling - that will make you stand out a lot.


There are some good links at the end of this use them I am using an old answer to get you started...

Tips:

First of all, you should bind first. Step directly behind your hooker so your nose is in the middle of his back, reach around and get a good grip of his jersey at the front. As you grip step to the right and pop your shoulder out FULLY, only then is the loose head allowed in. Your left hip should be ahead of your hookers, feet square and no more than shoulder width apart. Your feet need to be ahead of the hookers. With your hips and shoulders ahead of your hooker, standing square looking straight ahead you will lead into the scrum. You should notice your hooker may even be angled looking to the left, that is ok, this will give him a better angle to hook at put in.

Scrum against the loosed head but aim to drive him lower and try to split him and his hooker.

The loose heads goal is to create a wide high tunnel for the hooker to work in to hook the ball. If you have him low and off balance his hooker is going to struggle.

This is important to remember when you go back to loose head too.

On the squat, squat deep at the knees, straight back shoulders square. It should be like doing a good olympic-clean in the gym, ass out like going to the toilet, small of your back straight or arched in, stomach/core should be tensed.  Look at the shorts-line of the loose head. Aim to hit your shoulder into that line. Let him figure out how to get his position right, do not accomodate him in anyway. A comfortable scrum is a weak scrum. Even if you have a bad day the guy should come away feeling it.

Get your right grip up quick and grip hard, keep your back straight and dip the knees quickly about 2 inches and spring forwards, driving into the imaginary area behind the loose head.

In training you can practice buy trying to hit the scrum machine as low as you can with a team-mate marking with chalk the last point of impact each time. Get film footage of your training and your games too. Any live scrumming at training is a good thing. Go one on one with a prop too to work on getting low.

These links should help:

Srummaging:

My favourite:  

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


Good luck and let me know how it goes.