Steven Kitshoff & Steve Hansen urge World Rugby to reconsider controversial law
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Steven Kitshoff believes World Rugby should listen to the concerns of players and coaches and reconsider the brake-foot law at scrum time.
The rule requires hookers to place one foot forward during the “Crouch” and “Bind” stages of the engagement, only allowing them to withdraw it once the referee calls “Set”.
Designed to improve stability and reduce pressure on the head and neck, the requirement was first introduced as a global trial in 2022 before becoming law in July.
However, Kitshoff says feedback from Springbok hookers, including Malcolm Marx, suggests it is making it more difficult for players to adopt a strong and natural scrummaging position.
“Speaking often to Malcolm and the hookers at the Springboks, they’re putting themselves in such an uncomfortable position by keeping the brake foot forward,” Kitshoff said on the Rugby Unity podcast.
“They just can’t get into that snap; they can’t get into a good scrummaging position.
“The brake foot was brought in to make the game safer, to control the distance of the scrum, to not overlean and put too much pressure on the neck.
“But say the Springboks have got a big engagement and they get across the line quite aggressively, other teams need to find a way to almost manage that first initial impact and that first initial drive.
“So I think the brake foot needs to go back to where it was, where normally a hooker can have both feet back.”
The issue attracted further attention during the final Test of Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry series in Baltimore. New Zealand were penalised twice for brake-foot offences early in their 43-28 defeat to South Africa.
Former All Blacks head coach Steve Hansen was even more critical of the rule, claiming leading hookers are already experiencing neck problems.
“With keeping your heel on the ground, you’ve got to come up and over yourself and people just can’t do it,” Hansen added.
“Marx has got a sore neck. I know Codie Taylor’s got a sore neck. They’re two of the best hookers in the world, and we’re risking them getting injured.
“I know the South Africans, All Blacks and other teams in the northern hemisphere have spoken to the powers that be about changing it, but no one wants to change it.
“Everyone’s telling them it’s not safe, and that’s coming from the people who are actually in the scrum via their coaches.
“They’ve got to start listening, otherwise someone’s going to get seriously injured. It’s just ridiculous.”
