So what goes on at the Scrum? with England scrum coach Tom Harrison

[@matthewgreen8264]

I'm really glad that borthwick invited non traditional media to film something like this. I hope he takes other KZbinrs seriously as they have been criminally underutilized by world rugby

[@aric7726]

"underutilised" is a polite way to put it 😂

[@mobsquad8500]

Squidge is the most amazing and only REAL analyst of EVERY & any media or podcast anywhere.

[@ericdavison6186]

I agree. Can I give a shout out to some other little known creators I find who are bold, curious and rugby mad? The Black Jersey, Wildkard, 2cents, DanPatRugby, Rian Louw,RugbyCoach8, TASanalytics , BRUGBY Spotlight.

[@reallyoldfatgit]

And Wibble Rugby..

[@TheBlackJersey]

@@ericdavison6186I’ve retired from KZbin. Fed up with the lack of pay for 80-hour work weeks. I appreciate you viewing my videos though bro 🙏

[@Gilescowdemdem]

Made a snarky comment on twitter about how it shouldn't come down to an independent creator to be making this kind of educational content and it should be in the domain of the RFU/WR. In light of the knowledge that the RFU are involved in this video has to give kudos to them for allowing Squidge access. Awesome content.

[@scofoxes]

I feel the same way about WR and rucks/breakdowns! RIP Croc Roll!!!

[@randomlyfactual1943]

Are we surprised, though? Who in the entire world makes better historical content that Oversimplified or Armchair Historian? Hell, I watched a documentary just two days ago from another KZbin creator about how Frank Costello and Lucky Luciano brokered a deal with the US government to have the Mafia help them during WW2. Best true crime stuff? JCS, Red Tree Crime, Explore With Us and others. Then you have an absolute machine like Joe Rogan who would have Dave Chappelle the one episode, followed by the Undertaker and ending his week off with some obscure anthropologist who theorizes that apes got high off mushrooms found in dung and that's why humans are so smart today. Independent content creators are something else. No amount of money can make up for their sheer passion.

[@charlespirate1]

@@scofoxessurely croc roles have always been illegal cos you have to stay on your feet at the breakdown? I’ve never understood why it was allowed.

[@christopherodonovan]

The work of that female Welsh Flanker to control the ball for the eight was absolute text book. Thats type of thing is what you love about Rugby

[@antonymorris1962]

Yeah it’s official. Squidge is literally the most insightful place to get rugby content anywhere in the world, new media or old. Brilliant video

[@adambroderick3462]

Agreed! He's the best.

[@jamesbrown6817]

Even as a self-proclaimed scrum nause I learnt something. More of this type of content would be most welcome.

[@gavinsmith28]

As a former flank, lock and even prop, I love scrums. I think we should have a scrum ref come on for major internationals who knows what’s going on . I really have seen too many bizarre decisions…

[@Wolf-hh4rv]

Good idea !!!!! But then well here World Rugby squealing about “ dead time ” Does anyone at World Rugby understand that the spectators are not impatient and love their scrums?

[@tristanmills4948]

You could have an official come on to check the opposite side from the referee, and concentrate just on the scrum, without worrying about the scrum halves etc.

[@777Hunterh]

Thanks, Squidge. You have done more for Rugby Union with this video than anyone else!

[@jotoolethrower]

Does this mean your future videos will tell us what actually happened? I love your back line and breakdown analysis, if you can bring that technically to the scrum you’ll do what no other rugby pundit does.

[@SquidgeRugby]

That's the hope! I learnt an awful lot and have noticed myself looking out much more ever since

[@gravity-arbor]

Fascinating.

[@jacobusveeger5641]

Love this, could listen that big fella chat about scrums for days

[@wynandvanzyl8798]

I am so glad you did the scrum. Many people don't understand it, and I have a sick feeling that some pundits want to make the scrum irrelevant.

[@PhillipDawson10]

Most pundits never had their heads in a scrum. The all shouted from the safety of the backline :-)

[@PeterFynes]

Brilliant Video! Have never commented on anything on KZbin but this deserves being the first. Love all of Squidges' stuff but would really like more of videos like this - professional explanations of technical aspects.

[@LMcAwesome]

That was fantastic. As a League second row who started playing Union a few years ago Ive gradually moved from the backs to the forwards and what to actually do and why in the scrum has always been an absolute mystery to me. Ive always just shoved as hard as i can, except when playing flanker or 8, in which case i barely push at all because ive got another job to do. Like Squidge says, neither I nor anyone I ever watch rugby with ever seems to have any idea whats going on at a scrum and why its always a penalty so this really fascinating to watch.

[@ConnorDoesRugby]

That was genuinely amazing to watch and so jam packed with information and some things I wouldn’t even have thought about keeping an eye on at scrum time. I’ll try and keep it in mind before shouting at the TV next weekend🤣

[@connorbeuy3691]

Tom Harrison used to play for my local club and he is such a great bloke. Got nothing but praise for the man. Really insightful vid

[@crans15]

Brilliant video and about time someone put this kind of content to the masses. If the NFL had scrums you'd have to think they'd be sharing content like this constantly and the commentators would have the whiteboard markers out in replays to show the viewers what happened, I would love to see rugby take that kind of approach.

[@hitchikerspie]

Properly enjoyed that material, it’s definitely my weakest area as a ref and even having a few more key pointers to look for is immensely helpful

[@martincorpet6999]

This was so enlightening. Thanks Squidge, and thanks to all involved... even though as a Frenchman I had to turn on the subtitles to properly understand all of what was being said 😂

[@randomlyfactual1943]

You're not alone, fam

[@Picathartes92]

This after your video on international kicking strategies, fantastic! Thanks for providing fans the opportunity to develop their technical rugby literacy, it adds a level of enjoyment to warching games :) Maybe try and get Borthers in the chair to talk line-outs? As a forward I've never understood attacking shapes beyond drawing numbers and hands down the line so that would be great to learn about too

[@username-iq1nt]

Scrums are such an entertaining element of the game. This is an awesome video, really sheds light on the “dark arts”

[@matthewnordoff7017]

Brilliant. More of this please. Maybe an analysis of individual scrums throughout a tournament

[@alastair6312]

This was brilliant. Thanks Squidge for shining a light on this dark art.

[@BearsGamer]

Absolutely incredible video. Learned so much in terms of what to look out for in assessing scrums. Great job by all involved.

[@The_Fresh_Mr_Breed]

This is now officially my favourite Squidge video, which necessarily then means it is my favourite video on KZbin; and therefore the whole of the internet - surpassing my previous favourite which was the Squidge Video on kicking, and in third place @thekiffness's remix of the Springboks' pre-game chant.

[@mathisduvot4313]

french viewer here : I enjoy very much your channel, but it would be incredible to have english subtitles, since it can cost me a lot to follow all the subtleties of your content. (i kind of get used to your voice, but with other intervenants i just give up!). thanks anyway and keep up the quality content ! :)

[@jonospoon]

Hi French viewer! I am an English first language viewer from South Africa, and when I saw your comment I tried switching on the closed captions (CC) on KZbin. I can confirm that it displays the text correctly 98% of the time. Maybe this is a good place to start until squidgy increases his team size to include some subtitle people :).

[@henrymilleruk100]

It’s crazy it takes a - very wonderful - KZbin channel to lead the way in educating the rugby public on such important topics

[@randomlyfactual1943]

Independent creators wipe the floor with anything that legacy media is doing. Is true crime your thing? JCS, Explore With Us and Red Tree Crime got you covered. How about history? Oversimplified and Armchair Historian for the win. How about the inner workings of the Mafia? Michael Franzese and Sonny The Bull are here.

[@petersullivan3889]

Excellent, thank you to everyone involved!

[@richiegillipster]

That was absolutely fabulous! Great job everyone

[@mobsquad8500]

English rugby!! Thank you…watched Borthwick on rugby pod…brilliant. If this is a shift to be more open, please let your fan know…this is amazing. AND. English Rugby, I’m not watching normally media platforms… Squidge is the most amazing and only REAL analyst of EVERY & any media or podcast anywhere!!! Please give them more access!

[@tonydusserre8338]

Finally someone talking about the beautiful art of scrum

[@kristanto11]

14:04 O’Mahony holding up Porter’s elbow from hitting the ground 😅

[@shonunezekiel]

Thank you Squidge and Tom - I love rugby, and you made me love it just a little bit more!

[@fabienhammerer3588]

If YT rugby videos were a team, this one here would be MVP!! Took me years to learn a tiny little bit about scrum, enough to start enjoying them despite the stream of commentaries about slowing the game down. Now realizing how little my knowledge was and how much there is to learn about it. Loved. It. Thanks to all the squidgers for that! Special mention to YT subtitle algorithm which decided that La Rochelle should be spelled Larish R

[@redgozza]

Enjoyed that - as an aging loose head is was great to watch. A similar video on line outs would be great...

[@ajejebrazov2]

Really loved this video format. Hope to see other "what is going on" video about other play phases

[@wooderzz]

You opened my eyes with the kick chase video and now I can see with the scrum video! 🙏😇

[@CJ-tj8ge]

Absoutely fantastic video! Even as a prop myself at a decent amateur level found it really insightful

[@danielburges8176]

Your best video and hugely educational and entertaining!

[@crazycjk]

This is so interesting. What a great opportunity, congrats Squidge, hope you're able to do more like this

[@ccrooper88]

Fantastic video. I learn something new every time I watch your videos

[@electric_being_bliss]

Opens up more paradigms for sure

[@theriddler5601]

Thank you so much Squidge and Tom for sharing and giving the world insight into the truest art of scrummaging and unloading its dark arts into much required knowledge! It’s always a pleasure to witness your love for the game in its truest form!

[@mybadgaming6786]

I played Lock for many years and nice so see a video explaining it for the people that has never been in a scrum.

[@theofarmmanager267]

I played prop for many years at club level. The scrum has changed enormously in that the engage is so different (when I started we almost ran at each other and it hurt). What I would say is that sometimes even I didn’t know what was going with me and my oppo. Therefore, I do think that, on occasion, the ref just guesses; obviously (hopefully) more at club level than higher.

[@jamesonevers3262]

This is awesome, major props to the England staff for letting this type of non-traditional media into there building, this is awesome

[@StevenAlwine]

I'm proud of anyone who can get magicians to explain their dark arts. Thanks, Squidge. I learned a lot from this video.

[@MaxWa]

Haven't even started the video yet but THIS is what I've always wanted to know!

[@PhillipDawson10]

Brilliant content Squidge, and trying to demystify the mystic art of the scrum.

[@alexwendt9570]

1:55 is my home nation (Brazil) pushing back the Maori All Blacks... beautiful to see

[@anthonyflower1140]

As a beginner prop this has been very interesting! Think im gonna have to watch it back a few times!

[@mikenewey3949]

That was very interesting. Increasing the understanding of the scrum is a great ambition.

[@eamonlyons8069]

This was brilliant to watch as a blindside flank. It's so simple when explained yet so complex to get right as a ref.

[@AmpieAnk]

Awesome content Squidge! Bang on what we need more of in the world of educating people about Rugby.

[@lucasfranceschini7952]

GREAT VIDEO! Thanks for that.

[@iewantseng3533]

Fantastic video, thanks Squidge

[@Alaster-]

Great video! The dark arts of scrums are the least understood aspect of Rugby, and the hardest to explain to anyone who hasn't spent time in them (and even for many who have...). Think everyone will learn something from this vid!

[@GrianOg]

Brilliant ,thank you

[@mreasy6313]

Absolutely brilliant, top notch

[@kylewestman5400]

A interview with Dan Human In his bucket hat would of been brilliant.

[@davidsinclair699]

Brilliant video, opening the veil on some of the dark arts. Still a few tricks kept hidden. You have to feel for the refs who weren't brought up in the front row. Thanks.

[@aidangoggin4800]

Excellent video, really insightful analysis!

[@adrianhall4547]

Loved it. Thanks to all.

[@stuartsaint4581]

This was an awesome video, I think I always knew it by intuition, but when he said that the Ireland scrum was essentially 8 vs 6 because two players had lost their pushing power, a lightbulb went off in my head. Great video, I'm heading back over the the left wing.

[@jan-gertnel4556]

As a high school tight head, I lived for the scrum. Love the insights here

[@MonkeyKing1969]

Loved this - it would be great to have a follow-up on the various tricks that go on - like towards the end of this video with the dodgy bind...

[@christopherlynch4347]

Great stuff squidge

[@martynpantswilkinspoon8325]

Superb!! Thank you

[@paulvosloo8045]

Superb insights!

[@beerdedirish1563]

Cheers Tom, great vid as usual!

[@alexcasanova8683]

Great video, thanks!

[@knightime_supersonic]

Great stuff, cheers

[@everest001]

That was amazing. Thank you.

[@TheRedTurret]

Brilliant. Thank you

[@Bewleys_]

Great stuff, like the kicking video will change how I watch matches

[@ted8low]

Thanks for creating this, so educational! Would have loved it if you asked him to analyze the Ox Nche scrum…

[@randomlyfactual1943]

I mean, he could have.... But he probably didn't want to trigger a PTSD episode 😅

[@EnglishVeteran]

Great stuff! 👍

[@dualranger]

Brilliant video!

[@ricardogm1084]

great content

[@mattmasksforehead620]

Awesome! 12-hour series?

[@loopmyfroop]

awesome video, thanks

[@chris-ryan]

It's one of those things,if you know you know.. It's an art form that is truthly appreciated within the fraternity of forwards.

[@timulcoq]

When it comes to all the scrum haters, I always reply with a quote from Charles Dickens: “And therefore, uncle, though the scrum has never put a scrap of gold or silver in rugby’s pocket, I believe that the scrum has done rugby good, and will do rugby good; and I say, God bless it!”

[@BillyBobJoeSnr]

Thanks, as an ex-player and ex-coach the scrum is something you understand be being involved. I once worked with a very small hooker yet he was one of the technically brilliant front rowers of coached, he could take other teams apart. The most valuable player is often not the scrum or fly half but your tight head prop. Remember, the scrum is a restart which is based on a competition of strength to win the possession of the ball.

[@mariadanielalavia8877]

also the phrase of "a second row can make your first row look world class" it reminded me a bit of toulon's super team from the 2010's where the front row wasn't the best but matfield and botha and a good hooker like bruno just made their scrum really good

[@eversor10]

This won't be a popular video but it's critical work

[@sheldonblaauw]

Hope you add this new found knowledge to future videos

[@scofoxes]

Good stuff!

[@luke.hutchinson]

14:06 check POM help to hold up the front row’s elbow 😂

[@haydenjacobs5866]

Thanks squidge.

[@colinfrith2774]

Very good! Love the insight! But where was your highlight of OX - the barfridge?

[@louisvanniekerk2612]

In the local competition Wilco Louw and the Tight Head of the Free State dominated him. W. P. Nel also was on equal terms. Further, the last scrum against the AB he was dominated due to the absence of a strong Tight Head. The Tight Head is the anchor not the Loose Head. The French Tight Head was also superior to him while Kitchoff was superior to the same Tight Head. With this I am not stating that he is not good but that his prowse is inflated subsequently exaggerated. Further technically in a lot of instances he scrums up and inwards while he should scrum straight and level.

[@randomlyfactual1943]

​@@louisvanniekerk2612Yep. There is a reason Doc Craven said what he did about tightheads. I said on the onset of the tournament last year our chances to win the comp rests on the broad shoulders of Frans Malherbe and Vincent Koch.

[@skerminkel9971]

I have only just started watching, but it is a really valuable contribution to the understanding of rugby, even for existing fans. One criticism: Harrison's accent is really difficult to follow. Maybe get Daan Human next time ;)

[@philbotherobot]

Good one 🎉

[@zworm2]

Some good info there for the naive but much of the dark art still hidden. The golden spot for the loosehead is head under the sternum of the tighthead. That is why the Leinster prop had Antonio's number. The Tighthead should always dominate but it is technique and timing that can give advantage. Loosie gets his or her head under the sternum and the tighthead is toast. That is how 'Mighty Mouse' Ian MacLauchlan dominated anyone he played. Technique is 105% of scrummaging and the Refs still maintain their ignorance. One great problem Tom failed to mention and it is the great peeve of players who watch the modern game - The Law still says the ball must be put into the middle of the scrum, basically under the faces of the front row. That is the Law, so why is the ball put in under the secondrows feet and the refs do nothing? It negates the ability to take a strike against the head and that used to be a great part of scrum power and technique.

[@Drummer1000George]

You seem to overestimate the average rugby fan, aka 'the naive'

[@LMcAwesome]

I suppose its called the "dark arts" because people dont talk about it in technique discussions like this. It woud be good to see if someone would be willing to talk about some of the major ones. As for ball feed, I always assumed that refs overlook it because it leads to more occasions where the ball comes out and play continues. Fans generally dont care about the scrum and just want the endless penalties to stop?

[@zworm2]

@@LMcAwesome Ball feed is breaking the Law. If you want to do that then change the Law. I played prop for many years at a high level pre Pro days. It was a different World. Nowadays it is tamer, mostly due to all the cameras watching the games. Every game was different as each props technique was different. Look up Fran Cotton and Ian MacLauchlan, Sandy Carmichael. There were some great French props also. It was a lot of fun in there. Hookers had to be protected at all costs. They were mostly wee guys then and had great bravery.

[@zworm2]

@@Drummer1000George Overestimate? No, Tom shared some good mechanics. Most great props develop after age 25 and can survive a long time as they gain experience.and technique.

[@Drummer1000George]

@@zworm2 Oh you mean naive props.

[@snowmotion9921]

That was pretty fascinating. I would like to give kudos to the refs as well, they get a lot of shit when it comes to scrum time but they know WAY more than you and me, and they probably even know way more than most managers about props behaviours. And Harrison said it himself, in some instances it's virtually impossible to know which one infringed first. In almost all the examples you showed the refs had it right.

[@GarnetMelville]

Have you managed to watch the "Dark Arts" episode on Chasing the Sun 2, where they go into the Springboks scrum with scrum coach Daan Human, talking to all the usual suspects, Stephen Ktshoff, Vincent Koch, Trevor Nyakane, Ox Nche, Frans Malherbe and Bongi Mbonambi? Very insightful

[@funkyfreak92]

The Lineout is much more obvious, but could you do something like that too?

[@kshred3043]

7:54 no comment on Faf De Klerk playing the man (Aaron Smith) without the ball ?

[@BB_ERICSON]

Can you do various set pieces like can the next one be abt line outs

[@The-Audi-driver]

Loved the scrum, I was centre, I tell ya, noses got broke in them

[@myronalcock4716]

"Meat Mesh" 🤣 Excellent analogy!

[@simonroebuck7145]

Great vid👍 What the deal with #9 at scrum time. How come they are allowed to harass the opposite 9 at the back, but dont always do so? Thinking Harry Randell at Leicester other week.

[@randomlyfactual1943]

If I may interject here: think of the 9 causing a stir kind of like sending your jumpers up to contest a lineout. You don't want your jumpers going up everytime for a few reasons, like not expending unnecessary energy or trying to lull the opposition into complacency. I'd much rather try to steal a ball in the last few minutes defending a two point lead than at some random interval in the middle of the field, for example. When you send your jumpers up, you want it to matter. Likewise harassing the opposition scrummy can obviously put pressure on them and may cause them to fumble a pass or a box kick. But it can also mean that you now have one of your backline generals temporarily out of the game, while the Du Preez, the Gregan, or the Carter on the opposition launches an attack against you. Then it also depends on other circumstances too; are you in front? Trailing? How good are your loosies? Is the scrummy you are trying to harass a hard as nails customer like Faf, or is he playing his second match and still haven't started to shave yet? All in all, it's a tool in the tool belt. If you use it too often, you get figured out and you will be punished for it. On the other hand, there might be some advantage to gain. Best approach is to keep them guessing.

[@jeremydasneves6037]

We should probably add a 5th scrum and line-out official for international games.

[@electric_being_bliss]

It’s more of a sine wave than a square. Rugby is an esoteric sport