This is what the Scrum Factory is all about. These positions keep players strong and safe in the scrum, and they carry over into the tackle and the breakdown.
Key factors
- Shoulders back (blades on)
- Neutral head: chin not on the chest, not tipped back
- Back straight, spine in line
- Legs at 1 o’clock
Head
Neutral head position
It sounds simple, but players tend to push their chin to their chest or tip the head back.
Head position
Keeping a neutral head is hard when players are focused on everything else. Coaching in pairs helps players correct each other.
Body
Body position
The foundation of a strong and safe scrum.
Checking body position
You don’t need video or an iPad to check a straight back. An arm held level works just as well.
Legs
Leg position
Shoulders back, neutral head, legs at 1 o’clock. Watch how Grant gets players to analyse each other. It works for most drills.
Strong leg position for engagement
Players may need to chase their feet forward to hold the 1 o’clock position. Keep reminding them: head, back, legs.
Progressions
Stronger in the scrum
Simple individual activities for forwards before scrum work: chase the feet, tense the core, move forwards, sideways and backwards.
Superman progression
From the stationary scrum position. Works core, balance, flexibility and strength.
Pass ball progression
It’s not about the drill. It’s about holding the key factors and staying strong and safe.
Scrum Factory: Start here
- Primers
- Strong and safe body position (this page)
- Building a front row
- Coaching the Scrum Factory
