Eddie Jones has stirred the pot again, declaring that scrums have lost their edge in the 2026 Six Nations, a trend he expects to continue as Ireland faces Scotland. Backing him up is former Wallabies coach Ewan McKenzie, who notes a shift towards lineouts and quick tap strategies. Even the referees, particularly the English ones, seem keen to keep the game flowing past these traditional set pieces.
Despite their storied history, the Irish scrum has struggled, barely held together by injuries and the occasional brilliance of Tadhg Furlong. Jones points out that while the scrum's influence wanes, the focus shifts to players like Finn Russell, whom Ireland will be keen to contain in their upcoming clash.
"The scrum hasn't been good; that’s an area Scotland can target,"
McKenzie remarked on the Rugby Unity podcast, hinting at potential vulnerabilities in the Irish pack. He suggests that Scotland might need to mix up their game to break the Irish mold.
Jones predicts a tactical Irish response to Russell's threat, likely involving aggressive defense to disrupt the fly-half's game. Meanwhile, he highlighted the role of the scrum in the current game climate:
"I can’t remember one game in the Six Nations where the scrums really had a huge influence."
McKenzie echoed these sentiments, pointing out the minimal outcomes from scrums in matches, attributing it to a general disinterest in using the scrum as a strategic weapon, unlike teams like South Africa. He noted that penalties and field position are less often derived from scrum dominance, reducing its impact on the game.
Refereeing also plays a part, with Jones mentioning Luke Pearce's preference for a tidy game over scrum battles, which aligns with a broader trend among English officials. This approach leads to fewer scrums and more lineouts or tap plays, reshaping the tactical landscape of rugby.
As the game evolves, so too does the role of the scrum, shifting the dynamics of rugby strategy towards faster, more fluid phases of play, leaving the once-crucial scrum to become a less central aspect of the sport.
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Eddie Jones has stirred the pot again, declaring that scrums have lost their edge in the 2026 Six Nations, a trend he expects to continue as Ireland faces Scotland. Backing him up is former Wallabies coach Ewan McKenzie, who notes a shift towards lineouts and quick tap strategies. Even the referees, particularly the English ones, seem keen to keep the game flowing past these traditional set pieces.
Despite their storied history, the Irish scrum has struggled, barely held together by injuries and the occasional brilliance of Tadhg Furlong. Jones points out that while the scrum's influence wanes, the focus shifts to players like Finn Russell, whom Ireland will be keen to contain in their upcoming clash.
"The scrum hasn't been good; that’s an area Scotland can target,"
McKenzie remarked on the Rugby Unity podcast, hinting at potential vulnerabilities in the Irish pack. He suggests that Scotland might need to mix up their game to break the Irish mold.Jones predicts a tactical Irish response to Russell's threat, likely involving aggressive defense to disrupt the fly-half's game. Meanwhile, he highlighted the role of the scrum in the current game climate:
"I can’t remember one game in the Six Nations where the scrums really had a huge influence."
McKenzie echoed these sentiments, pointing out the minimal outcomes from scrums in matches, attributing it to a general disinterest in using the scrum as a strategic weapon, unlike teams like South Africa. He noted that penalties and field position are less often derived from scrum dominance, reducing its impact on the game.
Refereeing also plays a part, with Jones mentioning Luke Pearce's preference for a tidy game over scrum battles, which aligns with a broader trend among English officials. This approach leads to fewer scrums and more lineouts or tap plays, reshaping the tactical landscape of rugby.
As the game evolves, so too does the role of the scrum, shifting the dynamics of rugby strategy towards faster, more fluid phases of play, leaving the once-crucial scrum to become a less central aspect of the sport.