Our frontrows

To think we have the two best frontrows in the game

1 Ox 2 Marx 3 Wilco

1 Steenkamp 2 Wessels 3 Thomas

What a position of strength

I’m still not understanding this dominance, but it’s real and winning the close games for us. Other teams have huge units…look at Tupou’s calves, they are bigger than most men’s thighs. And yet nobody can survive the second shove.

Any ex forwards have insight into what the magic sauce is?

Mozart

I will give it plain and simple. A front row operate as a unit and the other teams failed from getting that operational.

Any ex forwards have insight into what the magic sauce is?

Oom Daan se plaas.

What utter shit Mike - do you honestly think a test frontrow cannot operate as a unit

"Oom Daan se plaas."

Hawe toe.

Dave read again whant I said please,

It doesn't get better on the second reading ou Maaik.

Mike you are saying other frontrows are unable to work as a unit which is something that might apply to the under 13 c side

The timing of the shove seems to have something to do with it. We seem to keep something in reserve and then click into Beserker mode just as the other team relaxes a bit.

It’s that ability to hold, regather and then hit them with that second shove - pure power

Daan Human is clearly gold dust as a scrum coach

I see they concede that Porthen might struggle against Italy in the scrums but they want him to learn

Daan says their training sessions are tougher than the test match scrums

Yes agreed, but the destabilization of one of the props, usually the tighthead scrumming against Ox, seems to also play into it. But this is all hardly rocket science….why can’t other teams figure it out. The French pack apparently outweighed us….and their blokes hit the gym as well.

Yeah it’s hard to understand. Having Ox with his perfect build for a loosehead and then the enormity of Wilco is a help

Other props might weigh the same but they are just not built like these two. They are literally the perfect builds for a 1 and 3

Lets not forget the power of Marx at 2 - everything about him says power

The French pack weight wise was helped by the size of one of their locks - he is close to the 150kg mark - a man and a half

It’s clearly a collective thing as well - for as you say, other sides have some lumps - Tupou

That water they deink must have something else in it giving them extra power.

That water they deink must have something else in it giving them extra power.

As Ox says - salads don’t win scrums

Front rowers I've spoke too have said how sometimes you're not even conscious for the end of the scrum. I pretended like I understood but it was something like when a loosehead gets his head under your sternum and the hooker is trying to cut off your oxygen supply via the carotid artery.

I wonder if it's a case of our front row being better conditioned to last longer in that battle and the 2nd shove comes on as soon as they feel the flinch from the opposition. We've taken plenty of big scrums to the cleaners so I don't think it's just the size thing.

Yeah props often speak of seeing stars

Young Zac Porthen mentioned that in an interview - he said the Bok scrum training sessions were brutal. He said that the different props would swap out for each scrum, except for himself - Daan kept him in the scrum for about 10 in a row - he said he kept seeing stars

That's why I think we have so much dominance when Ox plays. His height naturally gives him an advantage in getting under the tightheads sternum and with his yskas build we've seen him literally lift weaker tightheads off their feet.

As long as we can outlast them I'm the battle to stay awake we have the grunt behind to push them back. Sometimes even on opposition put in our flanks aren't looking to get off early. Like they know there's an opportunity for a tighthead scrum or a penalty coming our way.

That's one hell of a confidence boost "and on the other hand Darren" opposition must be wary of trying to throw it around in fear of a knock on, pen, lineout in their 22.

Yep and then you have the absolute beast in Wilco at tighthead who is literally immovable

So Ox does the damage in the first half with Marx and Thomas in support and then it’s down to Wilco to continue the damage in the second half with the support of Steenkamp and Wessels

Im guessing these are Rassie’s premier 6 when it comes to the frontrow - he has these 6 spot on

I wish he would do the same with our locks

Eben and RG are the obvious two, I’m not convinced he is getting the other two right. Lood, yes - but we now need new blood at lock to back up Eben and RG

Ox being short is certainly a factor. He is the shortest prop in world rugby. He has been best outside big tight head props like Malherbe and Wilco.

Although even the other front row combinations have been solid as well, even Thomas DuToit, who is not the best scrummager- he is more of a mobile prop..

Getting power in a scrum is about the props and locks getting their backs straight. That stabilises the scrum, and then individual leg drives until the scrum starts to go forward, which lifts some of the opposition front row off the ground.

When I played in school, I played hooker most of the time (And also inside centre some seasons).

I am only 5'8, so I was the shortest player in the team (smaller than the scrumhalf).

For a while, I also had very short props - so we fielded an extremely short front row.

We played a massive George Campbell team, who totally destroyed our scrum.

The next week, a scrum specialist coach trained us to see what was wrong.

We tried everything until eventually the coach told us to engage with one knee on the ground when binding. The front row was just too light, but by scrumming so low, it prevented bigger teams from getting their back straight.

I was very good at getting tight heads as I could hook off either foot, using football skills. Sometimes the opposition would put the ball in on the opposite side of the scrum after losing so many tightheads, but that just made it harder for their hooker. If I could not hook the ball backwards, I would kick it forward through the opposition channel between the legs of the opposition number 8 before the scrumhalf could run back to pick it up.

The coach called me Cobra in the school newspaper, as all he could see was my foot striking.

Later on, we did get a prop that was much bigger, along with a much stronger lock, and we were able to then change our approach.

win the ball, win the game

It comes down to the centre of gravity, cash in the back pocket when it's dominant.

"Oom Daan se plaas."

Hawe toe.

It's not all of it, but as Xavi says, "going to the harbour" is a thing that is mentioned in Chasing the Sun 2, where you can see Oom Daan drilling the props on low center of gravity until they creak. Can't find a clip of that specifically on Youtube unfortunately.

Here some shorts where he talks about, for example, not practicing against a machine.

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/oAJPFXwjidU

And this one with some of the same footage where Ox mentions the harbour.

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/Cs7F-XxMpEQ

The fact is the above is based on another farce as well. The fact is that the Hooker is a key as well. The hooker is a very importany player in scrumming. If the Hooker is not a beast like Marx the scrumming becomes ineffective, The hooker is the balancing player when it comes to scrumming. Take Fourie as a hooker as an example - he played for the Stormers as a hooker and the scrummng suffered as a a result, They tried him as a flank forward and the Stormer scrumming improved,

Fact is that one has not to look at the Tighhead and losehead - but a pip squeek in as a hooker the scrumming effectiveness vanishes.

Maye you should read he following:-

Legends of the Game

1. Sean Fitzpatrick (New Zealand): A former All Blacks captain, often considered one of the best hookers in rugby history, known for his leadership and performance in the inaugural World Cup win.
2. Brian Moore (England): Known for his fiery intensity, exceptional fitness, and technical mastery in the scrum, where he and his prop teammates were famous for taking the opposition low to prevent them from striking the ball.
3. Keith Wood (Ireland): An Irish legend with a dynamic playing style that included surprising skills like a strong kicking game, in addition to the traditional hooking duties.
4. Mario Ledesma (Argentina): Nicknamed "world rugby's scrum guru," he was a key leader in the Pumas' pack and renowned for his deep knowledge of the set piece.
5. Bismarck du Plessis (South Africa): An uncompromising player known for his physicality, aggressive style, and dominance in both the set piece and open play.

Modern Stars

1. Malcolm Marx (South Africa): Widely regarded as one of the best hookers in the world in 2025, an astute scrummager who combines raw power with a keen understanding of the pack's mechanics.
2. Julian Montoya (Argentina): Renowned for his endless energy and consistent performance for both Leicester Tigers and Argentina, a key figure in the modern game.
3. Jamie George (England): A cornerstone of the England and Saracens teams for over a decade, known for his excellent lineout throwing ("darts are simply superb") and leadership.
4. Bongi Mbonambi (South Africa): An outstanding scrummaging hooker whose injury was noted to have "neutered the Bok scrum as a weapon" in a past World Cup final, highlighting his importance in that area.
5. Dan Sheehan (Ireland): A prominent modern player known for his remarkable mobility and strength, though his scrummaging has been noted as a work-in-progress as he develops with age and strength.

Look especiall as the three players I highlighted above, When Ledesma was in th e Argentine scrum the Argentina scrumming was regarded as the strongest in the world/

Mario Ledesma Arocena (born 17 May 1973) is an Argentine rugby union coach and a former international rugby player. He played in Argentina's 2007 Rugby World Cup campaign, when they reached the semi-finals, and had a professional playing career in France spanning 10 years. Since retiring he has coached at the highest level in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres and was most recently the head coach of the Argentine national team.

So why not mention the importance of hookers in scrumming as well? Mozart bragged about it - but in 2007 often went back in the RWC final. Did not collapse the scrum but did not dominate it. Neither was the real scrummng in the Bronze match that year the Springboks did dominate in the scrumming .- Ledesma dod not play n th Bronze match,

That is why the Du Plessis brothers despised White and led the player revolt against White in 2014 when he cached the Sharks, They were eminent when 16 of the Sharks Super Rugby players refused to sign renewal contracts if White remained as coach. One of the signatories were Marcell Coetzee - who was invovled in a similar situation in 2014. .

. .

The fact is the above is based on another farce as well.

So Oom Daan's training is based on a farce? Be sure to send your little internet list of hookers on to the Bok camp ou Maaik, they are probably dying to get access to this kind of revolutionary information.

Dofdoos can you read plain English or are you just plain serpent shit in thinking disability? In the highlighted cases the role of the hookers in scrumming was highlighted. In the discussion before only the Tightheads and looseheads were mentioned - NOT the Hookers role in scrumming.

You know when people talk about the "front row" that includes the hooker, right?

Never mentioned that in their specific role in the above comments, But expect nothing on thinking ability on your side anyeay. ,

@Pakie,

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/oAJPFXwjidU.

Bongi's giggle at the end had me spluttering on my coffee. Hahaha.

That is funny :)

Hey Cobra, that was a very enjoyable piece on your life as a hooker.

Every prop has their own style, and it’s crazy how much that affects a scrum.

LH and TH,s use leverage, different angles, and then timing to get the upper hand.

Ox Nche, is one of the most formidable looseheads in the world.

He gets low, drives under the tighthead’s chest, and angles himself to destabilize the opposition.

He knows exactly how to torque a tighthead’s head to gain control.

In my opinion, Wilco Louw is the strongest TH in the world.

Wilco’s game is all about stability and raw power.

He anchors the scrum, absorbs pressure from the loosehead, and uses perfect timing to drive back.

He also adjusts his bind to counter their attacks, making it incredibly hard for a loosehead to get under him.

A battle between top level LH and THs, it’s like a chess match.

Ox will try to disrupt and angle, Wilco will counter with brute strength and perfect body positioning.

Each has a different philosophy, Ox is about disruption and patience, Wilco about control and power.

Props fans will know that it’s not just about who’s stronger, it’s about style, technique, and timing.

Frans Malherbe was the Master at Tactical astuteness.

@Moz - Thanks!

It is not about power or how big you are. It is about who can get the lowest, keep their balance and have technique, Mike is right, it is also about being in sync with the entire scrum and who is your 4 lock. It is not just the prop scrumming but how is the Locks operating. The hooker is also really important as it keeps the player bond. If the hooker is not right, he'll pop out.

Ox, Bongi and Nyakane were very effective during the lions tour as they could get very low and impossible hard to scrum against.

If you watch Daan Human, train the boys, he almost coaches them to use super planking on a balance ball. When you that low with all of that pressure it is very easy to slip your bind, miss the hit or just not hit your opposite in the right place. A looshead has to put his head under the thighthead chest and try to pop him out, so good neck muscles, a tight wants to get his colour bone over the loose neck and keep him there so he doesn't end up under his chest and lose his leverage.