Scrum

A contest for the ball between the two packs of forwards, used to restart play after a minor stoppage.

What it says

Eight players from each team bind together and push against the opposing pack. The scrum-half feeds the ball in, and both packs compete to hook it back with their feet. The ball must come out the back for play to continue normally.

Why it exists

A scrum restarts play after something minor goes wrong, like a knock-on or a forward pass, without just handing possession to whichever team didn't make the mistake. It's also one of the oldest and most physical parts of rugby, rewarding raw forward power and technique as its own distinct contest within the game.

In practice

The referee calls the front rows to crouch and bind before the ball is fed in. Most penalties at scrum time come from the front row: someone popping up early, pulling an opponent down, or the scrum collapsing dangerously. Once the ball's out the back, the scrum-half or a forward picks it up and play continues as normal.

Common confusions

The team pushing hardest doesn't automatically win the ball. It's the team putting the ball in that's supposed to win it, since they control the feed and the hooker strikes for it. A scrum going backwards, or collapsing, usually means a penalty against the pushing or collapsing team, not automatic possession for the other side.

Last checked against the official law book: 2026-08-24