Rugby has changed and so should the scrum

sir – Francis Howell-jones’s complaint about scrums (Letters, October 7) raises a cheating issue, because the law states that the ball must be put in straight to the scrum.

The law is ignored by referees because time is lost when scrums collapse, and scrums collapse because rugby today at the highest level has become too focused on physical battling rather than running skills.

It is unfortunate that the game has gone this way but, as it has, then the law should be changed. Either that, or we will need to have different rules for the various levels of the game. Charles Mulraine

Leamington Spa, Warwickshire

sir – Putting the ball into the scrum unfairly was already prevalent at the World Cup in 2015, as was not throwing the ball in straight at the line-out. One would have thought that television scrutiny would have sorted this out by now. Dave Alsop

Churchdown, Gloucestershire sir – While I endorse calls for a straight put-in at the scrum, may I also suggest that when a scrum is called, the clock is stopped and only resumes when the ball is cleanly out?

This would allow us to avoid the maddening time-wasting that we currently have to endure, and that can be used by the team in possession to wind down the clock to win in a most unsporting manner. Michael Mackenzie

Edenbridge, Kent

sir – While delays at scrums allow me to make a cup of tea and bake a few scones, the removal of proper hooking remains a blot on the game. If props had to support their hooker, then they would have to keep the scrum upright and steady instead of trying to obtain penalties by collapsing it.

While the backs may appreciate the opportunity to get their breaths back, the viewers would like to get on with the game. Ian Burrell

Harleston, Norfolk