Loosehead v Tighthead

crisco10

Okay,

So I consider myself quite knowledgable about rugby. However, (luckily :P) I am a back, so have one large-ish hole in my knowledge.

So here is a question for the front row union, what does the tighthead do differently to the loosehead? Like, why can't Hayes play loosehead or Horan tighthead? What different skills are involved?

Thanking you.

Amabokke

Do a google

What's the difference between tighthead and loosehead prop?

Can props play either side? Who is the key figure at the scrum, both attacking and defensive?

Here are the answers to some of those often-asked questions.

* First off, former All Black tighthead prop John Drake says the most basic rule of scrummaging is go in straight.

During his days with Auckland and the All Blacks in the 1980s, irrespective of whether the opposition were East Coast or France, his front rows always kept it simple for the first few scrums to feel out their opposition before sorting out a strategy to gain the initiative.

* For a scrum where your team has the put-in:

The loosehead is the key, providing a bridge for his hooker to get a clear view of the ball coming in, keeping the aggressive tighthead opponent at bay. The tighthead is the anchor, ideally getting lower than his loosehead opponent, but essentially a stabilising figure.

* For a scrum where the opposition have the feed:

The tighthead and hooker combine to attack either the opposing hooker or loosehead, trying to create a two-on-one scenario. The loosehead prop is not that relevant, but the bottom line is you are trying to destabilise one of the opposing front row.

* How the techniques differ:

The two props can have different physiques and are using different muscle groups. The key for both loose and tighthead props is their inside leg, the right for the loosehead, the left for the tighthead. That foot is known as the base foot and if it moves it is likely to be no more than a few centimetres forward. The hooker's base foot is always his left as he's hooking the ball with his right. Feet, like a golfer addressing the ball, should be about the same width apart as the shoulders.

* The ideal heights:

Long-held convention is that the tighthead should be about 1.83m (6ft) to 1.88m (6ft 2in), the hooker about the same or slightly shorter and the loosehead about 1.78m (5ft 10in), although Carl Hayman and Andrew Sheridan give the lie to that. The tighthead should hit the scrum fractionally before his hooker and loosehead. On the danger issue, if a scrum collapses, broadly speaking the loosehead is less at risk of injury as he has open space outside his left ear.

* Which is the harder side to prop?

Generally, the loosehead needs to be stronger and his technique must be spot on, according to Drake, who admits he found it a hard job to master. The tighthead needs significant mental toughness as all the weight of both packs comes in on the No 3. Drake says it feels like being in a pressure cooker, and lasts maybe four or five seconds.

* Is it easy to play either side?

Drake says no. For reasons of technique and physique, players who can do both equally well are rare.

up them Schteps

I played both positions when I was younger. I was lucky that I was good at both sides, but I always found tighthead was a little tougher as I was naturally stronger on my right foot so I preferred loosehead. Then I moved to No.6 (Dynamic huh:eek:) and realised the front row is the crappiest job on the pitch :P

bigbadben

up them Schteps wrote: »

I played both positions when I was younger. I was lucky that I was good at both sides, but I always found tighthead was a little tougher as I was naturally stronger on my right foot so I preferred loosehead. Then I moved to No.6 (Dynamic huh:eek:) and realised the front row is the crappiest job on the pitch :P

I love the front and love scrumaging.

As far as I'm concerned there are five forwards(second rows barely qualify) and ten backs on the pitch.

up them Schteps

We could have a front row vs. Back row arguement ALL day but until you play loose rugby, your blind.

Ps. I also played second row for a year.....My ears were never the same since

crisco10

up them Schteps wrote: »

I played both positions when I was younger. I was lucky that I was good at both sides, but I always found tighthead was a little tougher as I was naturally stronger on my right foot so I preferred loosehead. Then I moved to No.6 (Dynamic huh:eek:) and realised the front row is the crappiest job on the pitch :P

Is that why we seem to be struggling for a tighthead? As in most people are right footed so prefer loosehead?

up them Schteps

No I don't think so, I was just referring to the difference between the positions. I think the shortage of props is due to the massive amount of weights and strength a person needs to make it as a professional prop turn them off. It's a very specialist position whereas almost anyone with a limited amount of training can fill in in most other positions.....

d'Oracle

bigbadben wrote: »

(second rows barely qualify)

Way to rule out Lineouts and second phase carries from the entire game of rugby.

Depp

I love playing looshead, just the head-to-head physicality of it, it harks back to a time when men were men and sheep were scared:D

crisco10

Depp wrote: »

I love playing looshead, just the head-to-head physicality of it, it harks back to a time when men were men and sheep were scared:D

but do you not get the same at tighthead?

up them Schteps wrote:

No I don't think so, I was just referring to the difference between the positions. I think the shortage of props is due to the massive amount of weights and strength a person needs to make it as a professional prop turn them off. It's a very specialist position whereas almost anyone with a limited amount of training can fill in in most other positions.....

Fair enough, the lack of props is on both sides of the scrum I suppose..I suppose the lack of apparent "glamour" to a prop is a turn off too.. i.e. a lot of work for not much reward...

Depp

crisco10 wrote: »

but do you not get the same at tighthead?

oh you do i just prefer loosehead

d'Oracle

crisco10 wrote: »

Fair enough, the lack of props is on both sides of the scrum I suppose..I suppose the lack of apparent "glamour" to a prop is a turn off too.. i.e. a lot of work for not much reward...

I always thought props sort of made their own glory.

Trojan

Never mind the strongest foot side - tight has right arm vs loose's left arm, that can be a big difference at amateur level.

I far prefer tighthead. Agree that it's a totally different experience there.

Eoin

I preferred loosehead, partly because I injured my right shoulder and never got the full strength back, which was a disadvantage at tighthead. I think tighthead is even tougher now he can't pull the loosehead's arm down at all; I think there used to be more leeway before and the tighthead seemed to get away with having his elbow lower than they seem to get away with now.

(second rows barely qualify)

I think Leo Cullen said that second rows can make props look good in the scrum, and props can make second rows look good in the lineout. A fair enough comment.

crisco10

Trojan wrote: »

Never mind the strongest foot side - tight has right arm vs loose's left arm, that can be a big difference at amateur level.

I far prefer tighthead. Agree that it's a totally different experience there.

What's different about it? OTher than the tighthead comes into play on oppo ball and vica versa...

CJhaughey

Thats a very good description of the black art of scrummaging, written by the late John Drake.

Depp

eoin wrote: »

I think Leo Cullen said that second rows can make props look good in the scrum, and props can make second rows look good in the lineout. A fair enough comment.

Dunno about that but second rows are usually fairly lazy in scrums from my experience anyway, you would still notice it without them,

spspidy

the tighthead wants to push the person in front of him forward and down and the loosehead wants to push the person in front of him forward and up. this is to put the other team's hook off balance.


hope i helped:D

GerM

spspidy wrote: »

the tighthead wants to push the person in front of him forward and down and the loosehead wants to push the person in front of him forward and up. this is to put the other team's hook off balance.


hope i helped:D

Nice concise way ot putting it!

Your typical tighthead is a bigger guy with the impact coming on him from both sides. Upper body power will generally have a bigger role to play for a TH than a LH due to taking this impact and having to drive straight and resist a LH who is playing games and turning in, trying to drive him upwards as well as the impact coming on him from the hooker. A short tighthead may struggle with binding also as he binds around the loosehead. Get a tighthead off balance and you destabilise the scrum; the TH is the more important player in locking the scrum. Your TH also needs to be a tough hombre and relish the physicality in there. A lot of it is mentality.

A LH only takes impact on one side of him and can benefit more from the power coming from below the water line and overall core power. A lot of loosehead's will have big legs and a big arse. If he's being sneaky he'll drive through and upwards, pushing the TH upwards, shoving him up and driving through him or turning in and drive across him. Although the referees should be watching for this they miss it often enough. Look at the Lions first test when Mtawarira was against Vickery. Mtawarira turned in and drove Vickery up repeatedly with his bind before powering through him with a leg drive. We saw Vickery even being lift entirely off the ground in one or two instances. Poor refereeing and it was remedied in the final two tests. I believe the referee went as far as to apologise to Vickery in the weeks after that match. Also look at Ireland against Italy in this year's 6N opener.

Of course they are broadly similar positions; both require power from their upper and lower bodies but a slightly different focus and skillset. It's more the technical aspects of scrummaging and binding that trips up those looking to play both sides.