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The evolution of the scrum

EvolutionOfTheScrum
One of rugby’s defining sights, the scrum has and continues to be crucial in deciding the outcome of Test matches.

One of rugby’s defining sights, the scrum has and continues to be crucial in deciding the outcome of Test matches.

Like so many aspects of the sport, the scrum has evolved with great regularity over the years.

To start with, there was no distinction between an awarded scrum and what we now regard as a ruck.

There was no put-in per se, with one player placing the ball on the ground before the two groups collided, hoping to kick the ball towards their opponents’ try line rather than to hook it.

For a long time, players had no specific positions within a scrum, with the first players on the scene packing down in the front row and the rest of the positions filled by the remaining forwards.

There were a few varying configurations of the scrum too, including 3-2-3, 3-3-2, and the 3-4-1 formation, which fans across the globe now know and love.

For many, the scrum battle is rugby in its purist form, and you can chart its evolution by watching the video above.