How Waratahs props are training scrums amid social distancing rules

Digital has replaced physical as the method of keeping the NSW Waratahs connected, though at least one prop jokingly admits he’s going a bit crazy missing his regular scrummaging sessions.

Team training ceased for two weeks from last Monday when Rugby Australia announced that a domestic competition slated to replace the suspended Super Rugby tournament had been put on hold.

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Social distancing protocols have effectively ruled out scrums, an element of the game already being missed by some.

“I am a little bit, I’m going a bit crazy, but that’s probably a few things,” Tahs’ prop Harry Johnson-Holmes told AAP.

“I didn’t think I’d miss training live more as much as I have the past few days.

“There’s still a ban on passing the footy so I’ve been practising my chip and chase a lot just by myself.”

While Waratahs players are meeting in groups of two or three they are primarily staying connected through their computers

‘We’ve been trialling out some video conference stuff which has been pretty funny to tinker around with,” Johnson-Holmes said.

“Going forward, we’re going look to have a lot of learning sessions through that so we can still keep the rugby mind active and keep those discussions going.

“At the moment it is going to be those video sessions that are going to be the best tool for us.

“Living in the digital world and having those kinds of resources are proving pretty handy.

“Scrummaging, obviously specifically the best practice for it, is doing it.

“But you can compartmentalise the whole scrum into mini-skills to make sure that certain techniques stay in.

“Things like body shape … just make sure that muscle memory stays there.

Before team training finished, the Waratahs were allowed to take home equipment from the club’s gym, but Johnson-Holmes joked he’d been stitched up.

“I was caught off guard, I went into the final day not knowing that we were going to be able to raid the gym and I was on my motorbike, so I took a skipping rope and not too much else,” he said.

“(Backrower) Lachlan Swinton has got about 60 per cent of the entire gym in his basement at the moment.

“I’ve been blessed to get let into his gym, the membership fee is pretty ludicrous but its worth it because he’s got the equipment.

“A lot of blokes already had their home gyms but there was a few utes come out of the woodwork and blokes were making off with more steel than Newcastle back in the 80s.”

– AAP