Why didn’t the scrum go to uncontested?

So we get penalised because Joe can play both sides?

Why didn’t the scrum go to uncontested?

I thought that too. One tighthead injured, one carded.

They don't distinguish between props

Really? I thought loose and tight were specifically differentiated.

They are but some can play both sides - Joe Marler can (apparently). He was listed as tight head cover in the WC I think. Didn’t look very comfortable today on the wrong side though

Exactly. Because Joe was officially classed as the Tight Head cover for the World Cup, that means any team that plays against us in a situation like the one we have in the tail end of the second half today will insist that scrums stay contested while Joe is on the pitch with another loose-head.

Also if you take scrums uncontested because of lack of props you lose another player.  So we would have been down to 13.

Actually no I think not, that only applies if both props say tight head are injured, if one is currently yellow carded then that rule does not apply.  This was to stop declaring both props from one side injured and putting on say a back row in a their place with uncontested scrums.   Gives you a mobility advantage to say the least and you are not beasted at the scrums.  As I recall a certain club had this happen a few times in the season, strangely never happened to them after the new rule.

I remember a prop saying that playing on the opposite side of the scrum is like trying to write with your wrong hand. You develop different muscles depending on your chosen side. I’m told this was not such a problem in the old days as props just propped wherever. I would guess that it’s easier to go from tight to loose . Bomb seemed quite good at it for us.
        Genge conned Carly all afternoon which ultimately won them the draw as any scrum in the last ten was useless to us even on our own put in.

If Genge is so powerful, how come he kept bending in half?