Allan Jacobsen sure scrum can hold its own against improved Aussie eight

Published on Thursday 19 November 2009 23:02

IT IS FITTING that loose-head props wear the No1 jersey in rugby union because the game starts very much with which of those big characters can seize the initiative from the first whistle.

The impact of the scrum may have been slightly lessened with the new laws – that is arguable – but the impact of a dominating scrum retains a value to a head coach comparable with gold. Allan Jacobsen has seen many scrums in his 31 years and 38 Test matches, but there is a twist about tomorrow's meeting with Australia in that a set-piece often considered below world-class in the past is now the subject of much excitement in both the Scottish and Wallaby camps.

Australia's scrummage was too much for Ireland last weekend, while Scotland destroyed the Fijian front five. The latter was less of a surprise, considering Fiji's inexperience, and this is more like a real test for the Scots. They showed last year against South Africa that they had a newfound technique and belief, and with Moray Low now filling Euan Murray's shoes, Jacobsen is confident they can compete well with another southern hemisphere giant.

"They have got a good scrum; there's no doubt about it," he said of the tourists. "If you look at how their scrum has been going this year, and improving, it's getting better and better, but we have a very good scrum as well and there's no doubt it's going to be a big part of the game.

"The scrum is something that we pride ourselves on and we know we want to be on top there, as we were last week, because it will play a big part in deciding this game, as will the lineout and the breakdown. That is rugby – it never changes."

As tight-head, Low won many plaudits last week, while Benn Robinson, the Wallabies' loosehead, has been attracting many headlines this year. He is a solid, aggressive and mobile prop, and he relishes scrummaging.

"I came in with a fresh slate and nobody had seen me before," he said, shrugging off Australia's much-criticised scrum of the past. "Each scrum is its own thing, so I wasn't thinking about the past.

"I went into the Wallabies camp with an attacking mentality – I've never been a front-rower who is happy with mediocrity. As soon as I got there I made myself known and let the other players know I wanted to play an attacking style of scrummaging.

"We had some tough times. But there will always be tough times and it's about how you bounce back. I think we've bounced back pretty well. Scrummaging is a funny thing because you can have a really good scrum and then be off with the next one, so consistency is very important and we have to keep it up this week."

Jacobsen added: "From my experience of playing Australia, they are a good team with good players and while we had a decent performance against Fiji this will be a massive step-up. But I know from training that everyone is capable of doing it.

"There are things we know we have to get better, and that includes scrums, lineouts where many things went well, but we still made mistakes we won't get away with against Australia.

"I know we haven't beaten them since 1982, but when new coaches come in there's always a lift, and there is a lot more competition in this squad than I can remember across all the positions, and the games in last year's autumn Tests gave us a lot of confidence.

"Although we didn't beat South Africa we showed we were capable of competing very well with them and I feel since then the boys have changed their attitude towards southern hemisphere teams and realise they can beat them, if we get it right and play for 80 minutes."