Latest News

Steak, Sausage and Scrums

Steak, Sausage and Scrums

Peter Bowers, August 10, 2012

The Wallabies' Forwards Coach, Andrew Blades, has boosted Manly's scrums by giving a training session at the Manly Front-Rowers Club (MFRC).

Blades—who played 32-tests for Australia before becoming a coach—came down to Keirle Park as a guest at Monday night's meeting two weeks ago.

Gathered around a scrum machine he talked everything from body position and balance to binding, saying: "The head's a rudder for your power."

Blades said his preference is for the Loose-Head Prop to bind at the Hooker's chest height while the Tight-Head binds around the Hooker's pockets. Most tips were far more technical.

Manly Front-Rowers Club (MFRC) is for all props and hookers who play for Manly Rugby Football Club (MRFC) in Under-16s to Colts (u20s) and Fourth Grade to Premiership.

Premiership Prop and try-scoring machine Dane Maraki gave tips to Manly Roos Under-16s front-rower Callum Powers.

Powers said of the Front-Rowers Club: "They were friggin' huge and far more experienced than I was."

First Grade Hooker James Hilterbrand also enjoyed the night and reflected: "Packing a few extra scrums on a Monday night's a bit of fun."

"I'm usually packing scrums with my pillow trying to go to sleep."

"But packing scrums with a couple of other smelly boys is alright; especially with the head coach of the Wallabies."

The MFRC meet every couple of months during the rugby season. Their sponsors are The Icon Depot (shirts) and Emanon (steaks and sausages).