▁formed ▁by ▁the ▁eight ▁for wards ▁from ▁each ▁team ▁cr ouch ing ▁down ▁and ▁binding ▁together ▁in ▁three ▁rows , ▁before ▁inter lock ing ▁with ▁the ▁oppos ing ▁team . ▁For ▁each ▁team , ▁the ▁front ▁row ▁consists ▁of ▁two ▁props ▁( lo ose head ▁and ▁tight head ) ▁either ▁side ▁of ▁the ▁hook er . ▁The ▁two ▁props ▁are ▁typically ▁amongst ▁the ▁strong est ▁players ▁on ▁the ▁team . ▁The ▁second ▁row ▁consists ▁of ▁two ▁lo cks ▁and ▁the ▁two ▁fl ank ers . ▁Be hind ▁the ▁second ▁row ▁is ▁the ▁number ▁ 8 . ▁This ▁formation ▁is ▁known ▁as ▁the ▁ 3 – 4 – 1 ▁formation . ▁Once ▁a ▁sc rum ▁is ▁formed ▁the ▁sc rum - half ▁from ▁the ▁team ▁awarded ▁the ▁feed ▁roll s ▁the ▁ball ▁into ▁the ▁gap ▁between ▁the ▁two ▁front - rows ▁known ▁as ▁the ▁tunnel . ▁The ▁two ▁hook ers ▁then ▁comp ete ▁for ▁possession ▁by ▁hook ing ▁the ▁ball ▁backwards ▁with ▁their ▁feet , ▁while ▁each ▁pack ▁tries ▁to ▁push ▁the ▁oppos ing ▁pack ▁backwards ▁to ▁help ▁gain ▁possession . ▁The ▁side ▁that ▁wins ▁possession ▁can ▁either ▁keep ▁the ▁ball ▁under ▁their ▁feet ▁while ▁driving ▁the ▁opposition ▁back , ▁in ▁order ▁to ▁gain ▁ground , ▁or ▁transfer ▁the ▁ball ▁to ▁the ▁back ▁of ▁the ▁sc rum ▁where ▁it ▁can ▁be ▁picked ▁up ▁by ▁the ▁number ▁ 8 ▁or ▁by ▁the ▁sc rum - half . ▁ ▁Official s ▁and ▁off ences ▁ ▁There ▁are ▁three ▁match ▁officials : ▁a ▁ref eree , ▁and