Adjusted scrum rule could boost Warriors’ attack
The captain’s challenge may be the major talking point but it’s the new scrum rule that has been tipped to have the biggest impact on the NRL this season.
And it could work in the Warriors’ favour.
With arguably the most powerful back-three in the competition, last year the Warriors often found opposition teams would deliberately kick the ball into touch to limit their time and space coming out of the back-field by having a set defensive line from a scrum.
But with attacking teams now having the option this season to set the scrum in three locations – 10 or 20 metres in from the sideline or in the middle of the field – that tactic may not prove to be as effective.
The central option was the most preferred position throughout pre-season trials as defending sides were forced to have three players on each edge or gamble with a 4-2 split.
That creates more one-on-one situations, potentially giving the likes of Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, Ken Maumalo and winger-turned-centre David Fusitu’a a much better chance to get their side rolling forward.
‘‘In the past you’d be able to complete a set, kick the ball out 10 metres from the line, everyone claps and it’s a great set after points. I don’t think that’s going to be as common any more,’’ Warriors halfback Blake Green told Stuff.
‘‘If teams move the scrum to the centre of the field it opens up space and there’s isolation of defenders. So you’re not going to be able to have the whole line sprint off and get control of tackle one. That’s going to generate momentum for the set, which is the last thing you want
‘‘It opens it up for the teams that are really athletic that can use their speed to burn people.’’
Blake Green, above
coming out of their end.’’
The rule is expected to have an impact at both ends of the field.
For so long the scrum has been used predominantly as a means of restarting play, with forwards often standing at first receiver to take a hit-up.
It is hoped the change will encourage more attacking football through set-plays or simply by feeding early ball to strike weapons out wide, who are sure to relish the extra space.
‘‘It opens it up for the teams that are really athletic that can use their speed to burn people, like hopefully our man at the back does,’’ Green said of Tuivasa-Sheck.
It hasn’t taken long for coaches to try and get around the rule, with the NRL noticing defenders were breaking early from scrums during the trials. With kicks at goal not awarded for scrum infringements, it appears coaches were happy to concede a penalty when defending their try line.
However, according to a report in the Sydney Morning Herald, the NRL has threatened to re-introduce goal kicks from scrums if differential penalties or sin bins are not a strong enough deterrent.
Of the other laws introduced, which include the captain’s challenge and 20/40 kick, the move to ban attacking players from being tackled in the air could also benefit the Warriors.
Despite having two tall and athletic wingers in Maumalo and Fusitu’a, the Auckland club struggled to score tries off kicks last year, with the latter in particular targeted by defences.
Part of that was down to an increase in running the ball on the fifth tackle, said Green, with the Warriors’ strike-rate on the last tackle among the best in the competition in 2019.
Even with Fusitu’a, a noted leaper, moving in to centre, it is still hoped the rule change will improve their effectiveness in the air.
But Green is eager to see how strictly the referees police obstruction from the ground.
‘‘From what I’ve seen I think there’ll be a fair few penalties around the blockers, because that’s the only way you’re going to be able to prevent a clean catch in the air,’’ Green said.
The Warriors open their season on the road in Newcastle on Saturday.