IRB scrap “yes nine” scrum call

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As revealed by Jon Newcombe in The Rugby Paper on December 29, referees will now use non-verbal communication to indicate to the scrum-half when the ball can be thrown into the scrum.

The “yes nine” call has been criticised since its introduction this season and will be scrapped immediately following a review with national coaches and referee managers who suggested the call allowed the defence to know exactly when to push.

Below is Jon Newcombe’s exclusive piece on the matter.

The New Year may arrive with a nudge and a wink if the IRB sanction the use of non-verbal commands by referees for telling scrum-halves at what point they can put the ball in to the scrum.

At present scrum-halves can only feed the ball on the say-so of the referee, who issues a “yes nine” invitation.

The Rugby Paper understands that from next month referees will be allowed to dispense with the call, should they wish to do so, and use other gestures instead. This could involve a tap on the scrum-half’s shoulder or, if the referee is on the other side of the scrum, a nod of the head.

“There were concerns about changing things mid-season, but it looks as though this will go through,” a well-informed source told TRP.

The change in thinking has come about as a result of direct feedback from leading coaches at the end of the November internationals.

A largely unpopular add-on to the new crouch-bind-set scrum engagement sequence, the “yes nine” call is viewed by some as a signal to the defending pack to exert pressure early, thereby destabilising the front row.

Scrum guru Micky Ward, who looks after the Newcastle, Rotherham and Blaydon packs, is one coach who believes silence is definitely golden at the put-in.

The popular Geordie said: “Some second rows use the ‘yes nine’ call as a trigger to push because it lets them know when the ball is coming in without actually seeing it themselves, which obviously takes away some of the advantage of having the put-in. Changing it to a nod or to a tap on the shoulder would be beneficial in my opinion.

“None of the teams I coach use it as a cue, but a lot of teams do. I also think it will make it a little bit easier for the referees to manage the scrum; they have enough to think about as it is.”

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