Good post Oxford Exile I have known many fans who are passionate about union and fairly unbiased, but when it comes to league scrums they get very opinionated, uncontested, non technical, no hooker, feeding they just get the ball given to them, I have to agree but say we want to get on with the game.

When I ask what's the point of all the above plus the grunt, that when a team has the feed it gets the ball back anyway, or the ref decides by awarding a penalty.

I'm sure your team like all the others give 100% to the game you all love, best of luck to your son and keep up the good work, it just baffles me that for all that effort and time that given the head you are just about certain to get the ball (given) from the scrum.

...erm...well...I guess I do but not as far as you may think...!

League scrums are a massive waste of time like. The only thing they affect is the players' field positioning at the start of the play.

....and so say all of us.

The only purpose they serve, is so the people forming the scrum can have a rest for a few seconds.
A scrum is there for
skulduggery between players,
an opportunity for another (differential) penalty,
a couple more reformed scrums
pathetic feeding

They slow the game down

Scrap 'em

Watched a couple of games in the Union WC.

They have no need to pontificate about scrums. They maybe officially contested but they are not contests for the ball.
The scrum half putting the ball in always feeds it to the back of his hookers heels.
A Union scrum is as much a foregone conclusion as ours are.

Watched maybe 30 minutes out of the whole of the Union World Cup and the only bit I remember is a comment from Brian O'Driscoll at the end of half time when the Irish were being beaten by Argentina. His idea for how Ireland could get back into the contest was to, and I am paraphrasing a little, don't remember his exact words, "Ireland need to keep possession of the ball and wait for the infringements and the referee to award them penalties."

Sums up Rugby Union for me!