Front Rows Being Failed

This weekends Heineken Cup action so far has brought into focus once again the ongoing problems with the scrummage, and specifically the inconsistancies with the refereeing.  Scrum time is taking up increasingly more time of the total playing time, and dragging many games down for the spectator.  Friday evening's game between the Ospreys and Saracens didn't see one scrum go unpenalised in the first half.  Glasgow's game with Montpellier in France saw 7 scrums penalised for various offences, often not down to the players but the playing surface.

There is no doubt that the inner workings of the front row is a tough thing to monitor and understand, but one of the more obvious offences is the clear lack of binding between the props.  On more than 2 occasions in Montpellier, there were instances where there were no attempts to bind by the props on the opposite side to the referee, despite it being clear to the touch judges only a few yards away.

Scrum time - Something has to be done

The IRB need to go back to the drawing board on the legislation.  The crouch-touch-pause-engage (CTPE) system is wildly inconsistent, varying between around 2 and 5 seconds, and that is sometimes within the same game.  How are the front rows supposed to get into any pattern with these variations?  Clarity on the timings and the rules need to be made to reduce the number of penalties given for not taking the hit, or for collapsing scrums for by front rows who are sometimes caught out by the hit.

The CTPE system takes too long, and needs to be shortened.  Safety is a priority for the players, there is no doubt, but the inconsistencies in the refereeing have to be revised to reduce the penalty counts.