Journal articles: 'Professional Rugby Union'

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Targett, Stephen G. R. "Injuries in Professional Rugby Union." Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine 8, no. 4 (October 1998): 280–85. http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/00042752-199810000-00005.

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Brown, Scott R., Matt Brughelli, Peter C. Griffiths, and John B. Cronin. "Lower-Extremity Isokinetic Strength Profiling in Professional Rugby League and Rugby Union." International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance 9, no. 2 (March 2014): 358–61. http://dx.doi.org/10.1123/ijspp.2013-0129.

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Purpose:While several studies have documented isokinetic knee strength in junior and senior rugby league players, investigations of isokinetic knee and hip strength in professional rugby union players are limited. The purpose of this study was to provide lower-extremity strength profiles and compare isokinetic knee and hip strength of professional rugby league and rugby union players.Participants:32 professional rugby league and 25 professional rugby union players.Methods:Cross-sectional analysis. Isokinetic dynamometry was used to evaluate peak torque and strength ratios of the dominant and nondominant legs during seated knee-extension/flexion and supine hip-extension/flexion actions at 60°/s.Results:Forwards from both codes were taller and heavier and had a higher body-mass index than the backs of each code. Rugby union forwards produced significantly (P < .05) greater peak torque during knee flexion in the dominant and nondominant legs (ES = 1.81 and 2.02) compared with rugby league forwards. Rugby league backs produced significantly greater hip-extension peak torque in the dominant and nondominant legs (ES = 0.83 and 0.77) compared with rugby union backs. There were no significant differences in hamstring-to-quadriceps ratios between code, position, or leg. Rugby union forwards and backs produced significantly greater knee-flexion-to-hip-extension ratios in the dominant and nondominant legs (ES = 1.49–2.26) than rugby union players.Conclusions:It seems that the joint torque profiles of players from rugby league and union codes differ, which may be attributed to the different demands of each code.

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Dabscheck, Braham. "Rugby League and the Union Game." Journal of Industrial Relations 35, no. 2 (June 1993): 242–73. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/002218569303500203.

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The Association of Rugby League Professionals came to prominence when it achieved a legal victory which thwarted an attempt by the New South Wales Rugby League to introduce an internal draft, a labour market arrangement which reduced the employment and economic freedom of rugby league players. This article provides a history of the association from its origins in the late 1970s through to the draft case and more recent developments. The article presents information on player associations overseas and in Australia, and examines the origins, structure and organization, and various activities of the association. In so doing it provides information on the various labour market rules which have been used in rugby league, and examines the legal, economic and industrial relations dimensions of not only rugby league, but also other professional sporting competitions in Australia and overseas.1

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Quarrie, Kenneth L., and Will G. Hopkins. "Tackle Injuries in Professional Rugby Union." American Journal of Sports Medicine 36, no. 9 (September 2008): 1705–16. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0363546508316768.

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Sankey, R. Andrew, John H. M. Brooks, Simon P. T. Kemp, and Fares S. Haddad. "The Epidemiology of Ankle Injuries in Professional Rugby Union Players." American Journal of Sports Medicine 36, no. 12 (September 8, 2008): 2415–24. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0363546508322889.

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Background Ankle injuries represent a considerable proportion of injuries to professional rugby union players; however, there is a scarcity of detailed epidemiology about these injuries. Purpose To describe the epidemiology and assess the risk factors associated with ankle injuries sustained by a cohort of professional rugby union players. Study Design Descriptive epidemiology study. Method Medical personnel prospectively reported time-loss injuries in professional rugby union in England, and the ankle injuries were evaluated. Results Lateral ankle ligament injuries were the most common injury reported during matches and training, and together with Achilles tendon injuries, they accounted for more than half of the absence due to injury. The incidence rate of injuries was highest in second-row forwards. More than a quarter of injuries were recurrences. Conclusion Lateral ankle ligament injuries and Achilles tendon injuries should be a focus of injury prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation strategies in professional rugby union players.

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Daly, Ed, Adam White, Alexander D. Blackett, and Lisa Ryan. "Pressure. A Qualitative Analysis of the Perception of Concussion and Injury Risk in Retired Professional Rugby Players." Journal of Functional Morphology and Kinesiology 6, no. 3 (September 21, 2021): 78. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/jfmk6030078.

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This study interviewed retired professional rugby union players (≤10 years since retirement) to discuss their careers in the game of rugby union. The primary aim of the study was to document their understanding of concussion knowledge and the analogies they use to describe concussion. In addition, these interviews were used to determine any explicit and implicit pressures of playing professional rugby as described by ex-professional rugby players. Overall, 23 retired professional rugby players were interviewed. The participants had played the game of rugby union (n = 23) at elite professional standard. A semi-structured individual interview design was conducted with participants between June to August 2020. The research team reviewed the transcripts to identify the major themes from the interviews using a reflexive thematic analysis approach. Four major themes were identified: (1) medical and theoretical understanding of concussion, (2) descriptions of concussion and disassociated language, (3) personal concussion experience, and (4) peer influences on concussion within the sport. These were further divided into categories and subcategories. The interviews highlighted that players did not fully understand the ramifications of concussive injury and other injury risk, as it became normalised as part of their sport. This normalisation was supported by trivialising the seriousness of concussions and using dismissive language amongst themselves as players, or with coaching staff. As many of these ex-professional players are currently coaching rugby (48%), these interviews could assist coaches in treating concussion as a significant injury and not downplaying the seriousness of concussion in contact sports.

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Posthumus, Logan, Campbell Macgregor, Paul Winwood, Katrina Darry, Matthew Driller, and Nicholas Gill. "Physical and Fitness Characteristics of Elite Professional Rugby Union Players." Sports 8, no. 6 (June 5, 2020): 85. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/sports8060085.

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This study explored the physical and fitness characteristics of elite professional rugby union players and examined the relationships between these characteristics within forwards and backs. Thirty-nine elite professional rugby union players from the New Zealand Super Rugby Championship participated in this study. Body composition was measured using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry alongside anthropometrics. Fitness characteristics included various strength, power, speed, and aerobic fitness measures. Forwards were significantly (p ≤ 0.01) taller and heavier than backs, and possessed greater lean mass, fat mass, fat percentage, bone mass, and skinfolds. Forwards demonstrated greater strength and absolute power measures than backs (p = 0.02), but were slower and possessed less aerobic fitness (p ≤ 0.01). Skinfolds demonstrated very large correlations with relative power (r = −0.84) and speed (r = 0.75) measures within forwards, while backs demonstrated large correlations between skinfolds and aerobic fitness (r = −0.54). Fat mass and fat percentage demonstrated very large correlations with speed (r = 0.71) and aerobic fitness (r = −0.70) measures within forwards. Skinfolds, fat mass, and fat percentage relate strongly to key fitness characteristics required for elite professional rugby union performance. Individual and positional monitoring is important due to the clear differences between positions.

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Daly, Ed, Alexander D. Blackett, Alan J. Pearce, and Lisa Ryan. "Protect the Player, Protect the Game: Reflections from Ex-Professional Rugby Union Players on Law Changes, Protective Equipment, and Duty of Care in the Professional Game." Journal of Functional Morphology and Kinesiology 7, no. 4 (October 20, 2022): 91. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/jfmk7040091.

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The emphasis of this study was to interview ex-professional male rugby union players (n = 23, mean age 35.5 ± 4.7 years) and discuss concussion management during their careers. In this study, two major themes were identified: (1) the duty of care to professional rugby union players by medical personnel, coaching staff, and owners of professional clubs and (2) the use of protective equipment and law changes to enhance player safety. In total, twenty-three ex-professional rugby union players were interviewed, and the majority (61%) had represented their countries at international test-level rugby. These interviews highlighted the belief that medical teams should be objective, independent entities within a professional rugby club. Furthermore, medical teams should not be in a position of being pressurised by head coaches, members of the coaching team, or club owners regarding return-to-play (RTP) protocols specific to concussion. The interviewees believed that they were pressured by coaches or members of the coaching team to play with concussion or concussive symptoms and other physical injuries. The results indicated that they had manipulated concussion testing themselves or with assistance to pass standard concussion testing protocols. The interviewees indicated that club owners have a duty of care to players even in retirement due to the high incidence of physical and mental injuries endured as a professional rugby player. Most participants indicated that a reduction in match playing time and reducing the amount of time engaged in contact training (workload volume) may assist in reducing concussion incidence. The participants suggested that changes to the current laws of the game or the use of protective equipment did not mitigate against concussion risk in the game of rugby union. The main limitation to the study is that participants had retired in the past ten years, and conditions for players may have changed. This study has highlighted that additional efforts are required by professional clubs to ensure the highest duty of care is delivered to current players and recently retired players.

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Chatterjee, Mahua, and Ian Hilton. "A Comparison of the Attitudes and Beliefs of Professional Rugby Players from one Club and Parents of Children Playing Rugby at an Adjacent Amateur Club to the Wearing of Mouthguards." Primary Dental Care os14, no. 3 (July 2007): 111–16. http://dx.doi.org/10.1308/135576107781327151.

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Objective To assess the knowledge that professional rugby players have with regard to the benefits of wearing an oral mouth-guard and the importance that they give to wearing the appliance during play, then to compare these views with those of the parents of children who are beginning to play the sport. Design Questionnaires and covering letters were sent to the parents of children who played rugby at Malton & Norton Rugby Union Football Club (RUFC), which has teams for all age groups from under 7–8 years to adult. Similar questionnaires were sent to the first team squad of Leeds Tykes, a Zurich Premiership rugby union club. The questionnaires asked a series of questions on the use of mouthguards and knowledge of their importance in the prevention of injuries. Results The overall response rate was 76%. Seventy-four of the 100 questionnaires sent to the parents and 25 of the 30 sent to the professional players were completed and returned. Both the professional rugby players and parents felt that mouthguards were essential when playing rugby. The professionals seemed to have a much greater understanding of the benefits that mouth-guards provided. Although parents agreed that children should begin to wear mouthguards as soon as possible, very few actually did. The barriers to providing mouth protection were mainly financial combined with the difficulties of taking the child to the dentist. Conclusions If the results from this small study are representative of the current situation, with regard to the wearing of mouth-guards by professional players and children, it appears that there is a need for all those involved to ensure that rugby-playing children wear mouthguards. Rugby clubs could consider the appointment of honorary dental advisers and devise systems to ensure that cost is not a factor in preventing children from wearing mouthguards.

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Nicholls, Adam R., Nicholas L. Holt, Remco C. J. Polman, and Jonny Bloomfield. "Stressors, Coping, and Coping Effectiveness among Professional Rugby Union Players." Sport Psychologist 20, no. 3 (September 2006): 314–29. http://dx.doi.org/10.1123/tsp.20.3.314.

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The overall purpose of this study was to examine stressors, coping strategies, and perceived coping effectiveness among professional rugby union players. Eight first class professional male rugby union players maintained diaries over a 28-day period. The diaries included a stressor checklist, an open-ended coping response section, and a Likert-type scale evaluation of coping effectiveness. Total reported stressors and coping strategies were tallied and analyzed longitudinally. The most frequently cited stressors were injury concerns, mental errors, and physical errors. The most frequently cited coping strategies were increased concentration, blocking, positive reappraisal, and being focused on the task. The most effective coping strategies were focusing on task and increasing effort. Professional rugby players use a variety of different coping strategies in order to manage the stressors they experience, but the effectiveness of their coping attempts can vary.

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Austin, Damien, Tim Gabbett, and David Jenkins. "Repeated high-intensity exercise in professional rugby union." Journal of Sports Sciences 29, no. 10 (July 2011): 1105–12. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02640414.2011.582508.

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Jones, Benjamin L., John P. OʼHara, Kevin Till, and Roderick F. G. J. King. "Dehydration and Hyponatremia in Professional Rugby Union Players." Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research 29, no. 1 (January 2015): 107–15. http://dx.doi.org/10.1519/jsc.0000000000000620.

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Taylor, Aileen E., Simon Kemp, Grant Trewartha, and Keith A. Stokes. "Scrum injury risk in English professional rugby union." British Journal of Sports Medicine 48, no. 13 (March 6, 2014): 1066–68. http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2013-092873.

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Hill, Denise M., Nic Matthews, and Ruth Senior. "The Psychological Characteristics of Performance Under Pressure in Professional Rugby Union Referees." Sport Psychologist 30, no. 4 (December 2016): 376–87. http://dx.doi.org/10.1123/tsp.2015-0109.

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This study used qualitative methods to explore the stressors, appraisal mechanism, emotional response, and effective/ineffective coping strategies experienced by elite rugby union referees during pressurized performances. Participants included seven male rugby union referees from the United Kingdom (Mage = 27.85, SD = 4.56) who had been officiating as full-time professionals for between 1 and 16 years (M = 4.85, SD = 5.42). Data revealed that the referees encountered a number of stressors, which were appraised initially as a ‘threat’, and elicited negatively-toned emotions. The referees were able to maintain performance standards under pressure by adopting proactive, problem- and emotion-focused coping strategies which managed effectively the stressors and their emotions. However, the use of avoidance-coping, reactive control, and informal impression management were perceived as ineffective coping strategies, and associated with poor performance and choking. Recommendations are offered to inform the psychological skills training of rugby union referees.

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Denham, David. "Modernism and Postmodernism in Professional Rugby League in England." Sociology of Sport Journal 17, no. 3 (September 2000): 275–94. http://dx.doi.org/10.1123/ssj.17.3.275.

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This paper is concerned with the application of the idea of postmodernism to explain the rapid changes that have occurred in Rugby League in England since 1995 (Rugby League became the name given to a breakaway code of rugby and is distinct from another version of the sport called Rugby Union). Over a period of a few days in April 1995, News Corporation executives and Rugby League officials set up a new “Super League” in a deal involving millions of pounds that gave News Corporation sole television rights. The state of Rugby League before 1995 is discussed, and recent changes in the marketing, ownership of clubs, and the rationalization and franchising of the sport are described. It is argued that the idea of postmodern society neglects changes in the sport that can be associated with the extension of rationalization and capitalist relations more typically associated with modernity, although the increasing commodification of the sport is changing its culture in ways that support some theories of postmodern culture.

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Burger, Nicholas, Mike Lambert, and Sharief Hendricks. "Lay of the land: narrative synthesis of tackle research in rugby union and rugby sevens." BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine 6, no. 1 (April 2020): e000645. http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmjsem-2019-000645.

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ObjectivesThe purpose of this review was to synthesise both injury prevention and performance tackle-related research to provide rugby stakeholders with information on tackle injury epidemiology, including tackle injury risk factors and performance determinants, and to discuss potential preventative measures.DesignSystematic review and narrative synthesis.Data sourcesPubMed, Scopus and Web of Science.Eligibility criteriaLimited to peer-reviewed English-only publications between January 1995 and October 2018.ResultsA total of 317 studies were identified, with 177 in rugby union and 13 were in rugby sevens. The tackle accounted for more than 50% of all injuries in rugby union and rugby sevens, both at the professional level and at the lower levels, with the rate of tackle injuries higher at the professional level (mean 32/1000 player-hours) compared with the lower levels (mean 17/1000 player-hours). A player’s tackle actions and technical ability were identified as major risk factors for injury and a key determinant of performance.Summary/conclusionEvidence-based education, progressive tackle technique training with a high potential to transfer and law changes have been proposed as key modifiers of player tackle actions and technical ability. Conceivably, all three modifiers working in unison (as opposed to separately) will have a higher potential at reducing tackle injury risk while enhancing performance. With the guidance of tackle injury and performance studies, as well as stakeholder engagement, experiential and explorative tackle research has the potential to inspire innovative injury prevention and performance strategies.

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Whitehouse, Timothy, Robin Orr, Edward Fitzgerald, Simon Harries, and Christopher P. McLellan. "The Epidemiology of Injuries in Australian Professional Rugby Union 2014 Super Rugby Competition." Orthopaedic Journal of Sports Medicine 4, no. 3 (March 22, 2016): 232596711663407. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/2325967116634075.

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O’Brien, Danny, and Trevor Slack. "The Emergence of a Professional Logic in English Rugby Union: The Role of Isomorphic and Diffusion Processes." Journal of Sport Management 18, no. 1 (January 2004): 13–39. http://dx.doi.org/10.1123/jsm.18.1.13.

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The organizational field that constitutes English rugby union has undergone substantial change since 1995. This paper builds on earlier work by O’Brien and Slack (2003a) that established that a shift from an amateur to a professional dominant logic in English rugby union took place between 1995 and 2000. Utilizing ideas about institutional logics, isomorphism, and diffusion, the current paper explores how this shift in logics actually evolved. Data from 43 interviews with key individuals in English rugby union form the main data source for the study. The results show that isomorphic change in accord with a new professional logic diffused throughout the field by way of three distinct diffusion patterns: status driven, bandwagon, and eventually, the social learning of adaptive responses. An initial period of high uncertainty, intense competitive pressures, and sustained financial crises resulted in unrestrained mimesis in the first two seasons of the professional era. However, this gave way in the third season to increased interorganizational linkages, coalition building, and political activity that promoted normative and coercive pressures for a consolidation of the game’s infrastructure and future development.

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Tee, J. C. "Movement and impact characteristics of South African professional rugby union players." South African Journal of Sports Medicine 27, no. 2 (January 29, 2016): 33. http://dx.doi.org/10.17159/2413-3108/2015/v27i2a489.

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Background. Global positioning system (GPS) technology can provide accurate, non-invasive, real-time movement analysis of playersparticipating in team sports. The application of this technology to rugby union will improve training practices by allowing improvedunderstanding of movement characteristics and more individualised programmes.Objectives. To characterise the movement and impact patterns of South African professional rugby union players during match play andcompare these to previously reported data.Methods. Nineteen professional rugby players were tracked using GPS systems during 24 matches during the 2013 rugby season. Playerswere grouped as (i) backs or forwards and (ii) tight forwards, loose forwards, scrumhalves, inside backs or outside backs. Movements werecategorised in speed zones corresponding to walking (0 - 2 m.s-1), jogging (2 - 4 m.s-1), striding (4 - 6 m.s-1) and sprinting (>6 m.s-1). Walkingand jogging were classified as low-intensity and striding and sprinting as high-intensity movement zones. An inbuilt triaxial accelerometer(sampling frequency 100 Hz) measured the total impacts >5G and high-intensity impacts >8G. All data were normalised to time on fieldand reported as mean (standard deviation).Results. There was no difference between forwards and backs in relative distance covered. Backs reached higher maximum speeds thanforwards (backs 8.8 (1.1) v. forwards 7.6 (1.3) m.s-1, effect size (ES) 1.0, and outside backs were the fastest positional group (9.4 (0.9)m.s-1, ES 0.4 - 2.2). Players in all positions spent the majority of time walking (79 - 84%). Backs covered more distance than forwards inhigh-intensity speed zones (forwards 11 (5) v. backs 14 (4) m.min-1, ES 0.7). Tight forwards covered the most distance in low-intensityzones (63 (6) m.min-1, ES 0.3 - 1.7) while scrumhalves ran the most distance in high-intensity zones (20 (5) m.min-1, ES 1.2 - 3.6). Highintensity: low-intensity running ratios ranged from 1:13 (tight forwards) to 1:3 (scrumhalves). Loose forwards and inside backs exhibitedsimilar movement patterns. There was no difference in impact variables between forwards and backs. Inside backs sustained the least totalimpacts (6.5 (1.2) >5G.min-1, ES 0.9 - 2.0) and high-intensity impacts (0.7 (0.2) >8G.min-1, ES 0.5 - 1.4).Conclusions. There were notable differences in the movement of professional rugby union players in different positions, and effectivetraining programmes should reflect these variations.

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Ranson, Craig, Jonathan George, James Rafferty, John Miles, and Isabel Moore. "Playing surface and UK professional rugby union injury risk." Journal of Sports Sciences 36, no. 21 (March 29, 2018): 2393–98. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02640414.2018.1458588.

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Nicholls, A. R., S. H. Backhouse, R. C. J. Polman, and J. McKenna. "Stressors and affective states among professional rugby union players." Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports 19, no. 1 (February 3, 2008): 121–28. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-0838.2007.00757.x.

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Scott, Adam C., Nigel Roe, Andrew J. S. Coats, and Massimo F. Piepoli. "Aerobic exercise physiology in a professional rugby union team." International Journal of Cardiology 87, no. 2-3 (February 2003): 173–77. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/s0167-5273(02)00211-5.

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Teece, Angus R., Christos K. Argus, Nicholas Gill, Martyn Beaven, Ian C. Dunican, and Matthew W. Driller. "Sleep and Performance during a Preseason in Elite Rugby Union Athletes." International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 18, no. 9 (April 27, 2021): 4612. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18094612.

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Background: Preseason training optimises adaptations in the physical qualities required in rugby union athletes. Sleep can be compromised during periods of intensified training. Therefore, we investigated the relationship between sleep quantity and changes in physical performance over a preseason phase in professional rugby union athletes. Methods: Twenty-nine professional rugby union athletes (Mean ± SD, age: 23 ± 3 years) had their sleep duration monitored for 3 weeks using wrist actigraphy. Strength and speed were assessed at baseline and at week 3. Aerobic capacity and body composition were assessed at baseline, at week 3 and at week 5. Participants were stratified into 2 groups for analysis: <7 h 30 min sleep per night (LOW, n = 15) and >7 h 30 min sleep per night (HIGH, n = 14). Results: A significant group x time interaction was determined for aerobic capacity (p = 0.02, d = 1.25) at week 3 and for skinfolds at week 3 (p < 0.01, d = 0.58) and at week 5 (p = 0.02, d = 0.92), in favour of the HIGH sleep group. No differences were evident between groups for strength or speed measures (p ≥ 0.05). Conclusion: This study highlights that longer sleep duration during the preseason may assist in enhancing physical qualities including aerobic capacity and body composition in elite rugby union athletes.

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Posthumus, Logan, Kirsty Fairbairn, Katrina Darry, Matthew Driller, Paul Winwood, and Nicholas Gill. "Competition Nutrition Practices of Elite Male Professional Rugby Union Players." International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 18, no. 10 (May 18, 2021): 5398. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18105398.

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Thirty-four elite male professional rugby union players from the New Zealand Super Rugby championship completed dietary intakes via the Snap-N-Send method during a seven-day competition week. Mean seven-day absolute energy intake was significantly higher for forwards (4606 ± 719 kcal·day−1) compared to backs (3761 ± 618 kcal·day−1; p < 0.01; d = 1.26). Forwards demonstrated significantly higher mean seven-day absolute macronutrient intakes compared to backs (p < 0.03; d = 0.86–1.58), but no significant differences were observed for mean seven-day relative carbohydrate (3.5 ± 0.8 vs. 3.7 ± 0.7 g·kg·day−1), protein (2.5 ± 0.4 vs. 2.4 ± 0.5 g·kg·day−1), and fat (1.8 ± 0.4 vs. 1.8 ± 0.5 g·kg·day−1) intakes. Both forwards and backs reported their highest energy (5223 ± 864 vs. 4694 ± 784 kcal·day−1) and carbohydrate (4.4 ± 1.2 vs. 5.1 ± 1.0 g·kg·day−1) intakes on game day, with ≈62% of total calories being consumed prior to kick-off. Mean pre-game meal composition for all players was 1.4 ± 0.5 g·kg−1 carbohydrate, 0.8 ± 0.2 g·kg−1 protein, and 0.5 ± 0.2 g·kg−1 fat. Players fell short of daily sports nutrition guidelines for carbohydrate and appeared to “eat to intensity” by increasing or decreasing energy and carbohydrate intake based on the training load. Despite recommendations and continued education, many rugby players select what would be considered a “lower” carbohydrate intake. Although these intakes appear adequate to be a professional RU player, further research is required to determine optimal dietary intakes.

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Headey, Julia, John H. M. Brooks, and Simon P. T. Kemp. "The Epidemiology of Shoulder Injuries in English Professional Rugby Union." American Journal of Sports Medicine 35, no. 9 (September 2007): 1537–43. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0363546507300691.

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Background Shoulder injuries constitute a considerable risk to professional rugby union players; however, there is a shortage of detailed epidemiologic information about injuries in this population. Purpose To describe the incidence, severity, and risk factors associated with shoulder injuries in professional rugby union. Study Design Descriptive epidemiology study. Method Medical personnel prospectively reported time-loss injuries in professional rugby union in England, and the shoulder injuries were evaluated. Results The incidence of shoulder injuries was significantly lower during training (0.10/1000 player—training hours) compared with matches (8.9/1000 player—match hours). The most common match injury was acromioclavicular joint injury (32%); the most severe was shoulder dislocation and instability (mean severity, 81 days absent), which also caused the greatest proportion of absence (42%) and had the highest rate of recurrence (62%). The majority of match shoulder injuries were sustained in the tackle (65%), and outside backs were the most likely to sustain an injury from tackling (2.4/1000 player-tackles). Injuries sustained during training were significantly more severe (61 days) than were those sustained during match play (27 days), and defensive training sessions carried the highest risk of injury (0.45/1000 player-hours; mean severity, 67 days). A mean of 241 player-days per club per season were lost to shoulder injuries. Conclusion Results suggest the potential to reduce this injury burden by modifying training activities and implementing “prehabilitation” strategies in an effort to minimize the risk of shoulder dislocation/instability.

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Loturco, Irineu, Lucas A. Pereira, Tomás T. Freitas, Chris Bishop, Fernando Pareja-Blanco, and Michael R. McGuigan. "Maximum Strength, Relative Strength, and Strength Deficit: Relationships With Performance and Differences Between Elite Sprinters and Professional Rugby Union Players." International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance 16, no. 8 (August 1, 2021): 1148–53. http://dx.doi.org/10.1123/ijspp.2020-0342.

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Purpose: To test the relationships between maximum and relative strength (MS and RS), absolute and relative peak force (PF and RPF), and strength deficit (SDef), with sprint and jump performance, and to compare these mechanical variables between elite sprinters and professional rugby union players. Methods: Thirty-five male rugby union players and 30 male sprinters performed vertical jumps, 30-m sprint, and half-squat 1-repetition maximum (1RM), where these force-related parameters were collected. Pearson correlation coefficients were used to test the relationships between the variables. An independent t test and magnitude-based inferences compared the mechanical variables between sprinters and rugby players. Results: Almost certain significant differences were observed for jump and sprint performance between groups (P < .0001). The rugby union players demonstrated a likely significant higher MS (P = .03) but a very likely lower RS (P = .007) than the sprinters. No significant differences were observed for PF between them. The sprinters exhibited an almost certain significant higher RPF than the rugby players (P < .0001). Furthermore, the rugby players demonstrated almost certain to likely significant higher SDef from 40% to 70% 1RM (P < .05) compared with the sprinters. Overall, all strength-derived parameters were significantly related to functional performance. Conclusions: Elite sprinters present higher levels of RS and RPF, lower levels of SDef, and better sprint and jump performance than professional rugby players. Relative strength-derived values (RS and RPF) and SDef are significantly associated with speed–power measures and may be used as effective and practical indicators of athletic performance.

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Schoeman, Riaan, and Robert Schall. "Comparison of match-related performance indicators between major professional rugby competitions." International Journal of Sports Science & Coaching 14, no. 3 (June 2019): 344–54. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1747954119848419.

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The study compared performance indicators of four major international rugby union competitions, namely Super Rugby, Aviva Premiership, Guinness Pro 12 and French Top 14. Most performance indicators of Aviva Premiership and Guinness Pro 12 rugby competitions were similar but distinctive from French Top 14 and Super Rugby competitions, which in turn were generally similar. The Aviva Premiership and Guinness Pro 12 had similar numbers of ball carries, tries, offloads, kicks, tackles, line-outs and scrums that were significantly higher than French Top 14 and Super Rugby. Offloads ( p = .0015) and tries ( p = .0368) were significantly higher for Super Rugby than the Guinness Pro 12, but the Guinness Pro 12 had significantly higher counts for carries ( p ≤ .0001), passes ( p = .0010) and kicks ( p = .0054). In contrast, counts of tackle breaks ( p ≤ .0001) and line breaks were significantly higher for Super Rugby in comparison to the Aviva Premiership ( p = .0057), Guinness Pro 12 ( p = .0064) and French Top 14 ( p ≤ .0001). All competitions showed areas of weakness and strength, which could be due to specific game plans followed in the unique pitch and weather conditions during competition.

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Weaving, Dan, Nicholas E. Dalton, Christopher Black, Joshua Darrall-Jones, Padraic J. Phibbs, Michael Gray, Ben Jones, and Gregory A. B. Roe. "The Same Story or a Unique Novel? Within-Participant Principal-Component Analysis of Measures of Training Load in Professional Rugby Union Skills Training." International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance 13, no. 9 (October 1, 2018): 1175–81. http://dx.doi.org/10.1123/ijspp.2017-0565.

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Purpose: To identify which combination metrics of external and internal training load (TL) capture similar or unique information for individual professional players during skills training in rugby union using principal-component (PC) analysis. Methods: TL data were collected from 21 male professional rugby union players across a competitive season. This included PlayerLoad™, total distance, and individualized high-speed distance (>61% maximal velocity; all external TL) obtained from a microtechnology device (OptimEye X4; Catapult Innovations, Melbourne, Australia) that was worn by each player and the session rating of perceived exertion (RPE) (internal TL). PC analysis was conducted on each individual to extract the underlying combinations of the 4 TL measures that best describe the total information (variance) provided by the measures. TL measures with PC loadings (PCL) above 0.7 were deemed to possess well-defined relationships with the extracted PC. Results: The findings show that from the 4 TL measures, the majority of an individual’s TL information (first PC: 55–70%) during skills training can be explained by session RPE (PCL: 0.72–0.95), total distance (PCL: 0.86–0.98), or PlayerLoad (PCL: 0.71–0.98). High-speed distance was the only variable to relate to the second PC (PCL: 0.72–1.00), which captured additional TL information (+19–28%). Conclusions: Findings suggest that practitioners could quantify the TL of rugby union skills training with one of PlayerLoad, total distance, or session RPE plus high-speed distance while limiting omitted information of the TL imposed during professional rugby union skills training.

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Wilson, Rob, and Daniel Plumley. "Different shaped ball, same financial problems? A holistic performance assessment of English Rugby Union (2006-2015)." Sport, Business and Management: An International Journal 7, no. 2 (May 8, 2017): 141–56. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/sbm-10-2016-0063.

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Purpose Rugby union’s late move to professionalism in 1995 has led to concerns about the financial development of the game. The purpose of this paper is to extend the knowledge base on professional team sports in the UK by analysing the financial and sporting performance of rugby union clubs. Design/methodology/approach Data were obtained by dissecting the annual accounts of nine English Premiership rugby clubs between 2006 and 2015. Analysis was performed using the performance assessment model, which analyses both financial and sporting areas of performance and is devised through statistical analysis procedures to provide a holistic measure of overall performance for each club. Findings There is financial disparity amongst clubs that has widened over the period of the study. In terms of sporting performance, the data suggest that competition is more equal, something that is less evident in other UK professional team sports such as football and rugby league. Correlation analysis reveals that overall performance varies over time in cycles. Research limitations/implications The study has implications for the clubs competing in the English Premiership and for the league organisers themselves, particularly with reference to regulatory procedures such as raising the salary cap and increased broadcasting deals. Originality/value The paper has demonstrated the importance of balancing multiple performance objectives in professional team sports and has expanded the academic discussion on the financial health of professional team sports in the UK, particularly with reference to the financial health of rugby union where research has historically been scarce.

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Brown, James, Gino Kerkhoffs, Mike Lambert, and Vincent Gouttebarge. "Forced Retirement from Professional Rugby Union is Associated with Symptoms of Distress." International Journal of Sports Medicine 38, no. 08 (May 31, 2017): 582–87. http://dx.doi.org/10.1055/s-0043-103959.

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AbstractRugby has a higher injury burden than other popular sports, such as football. Athletes who are forced to retire as a result of injury are associated with poor mental health. With its high injury burden, professional rugby players might be at risk of mental health conditions associated with injury-related forced retirement. This study aimed to compare mental health between former professional rugby players who were and weren’t forced to retire. A questionnaire including the 4DSQ (distress), GHQ-12 (anxiety/depression), PROMIS short-form (sleep disturbance) and AUDIT-C (alcohol misuse) was completed by retired professional players from Ireland, France and South Africa. The questionnaire asked players whether or not they were forced to retire, as well as the reason for retirement. Players forced to retire were more than twice as likely to report symptoms of distress in comparison to those that retired voluntarily (odds ratio: 2.1, 95% confidence interval: 1.2–3.6, p<0.001). None of the other mental health measures (anxiety/depression, sleep disturbance or alcohol misuse) were associated with forced retirement. In conclusion, rugby players that were forced to retire may require support structures and longitudinal monitoring. Future studies should begin monitoring players during their careers to accurately assess the effect of retirement on mental health.

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Malcolm, Dominic, and Kenneth Sheard. "“Pain in the Assets”: The Effects of Commercialization and Professionalization on the Management of Injury in English Rugby Union." Sociology of Sport Journal 19, no. 2 (June 2002): 149–69. http://dx.doi.org/10.1123/ssj.19.2.149.

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This paper examines the management of injuries in men’s elite rugby union in England and, in particular, how this has altered as a consequence of the (formal) professionalization of the game in 1995. Data are drawn from 42 in-depth, semistructured interviews, conducted with seven coaches/directors of rugby, nine rugby club doctors, ten physiotherapists, and sixteen players. Partly as a consequence of examining pain and injury developmentally, our findings contrast with much of the existing sociological research in the area. The professionalization of rugby union, we argue, has not led to a greater acceptance of pain and injury in the sport or to a higher level of pressure upon, or “coercion” of, players to play under such conditions. Rather professional players receive markedly better medical backup and seem increasingly disposed to utilizing it.

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Cross, Matthew J., Ross Tucker, Martin Raftery, Ben Hester, Sean Williams, Keith A. Stokes, Craig Ranson, Prav Mathema, and Simon Kemp. "Tackling concussion in professional rugby union: a case–control study of tackle-based risk factors and recommendations for primary prevention." British Journal of Sports Medicine 53, no. 16 (October 11, 2017): 1021–25. http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2017-097912.

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Background/aimConcussion, the most common injury in professional rugby union, occurs most commonly during the tackle. Thus, we investigated the association between tackle characteristics and concussion.Methods182 video clips of tackles leading to clinically diagnosed concussion and 4619 tackles that did not were coded across three professional rugby union competitions. A variable selection process was undertaken to identify the most important variables for interpretation. A multivariate generalised linear model was used to model the association between retained variables and concussion risk. Magnitude-based inferences provided an interpretation of the real-world relevance of the outcomes.ResultsThe four retained variables were: accelerating player, tackler speed, head contact type and tackle type. Overall, 70% of concussions occurred to the tackler and 30% to the ball carrier. There was a higher risk of concussion if the tackler accelerated into the tackle (OR: 2.49, 95% CI 1.70 to 3.64) or the tackler was moving at high speed (OR: 2.64, 95% CI 1.92 to 3.63). Head contact with the opposing player’s head (OR: 39.9, 95% CI 22.2 to 71.1) resulted in a substantially greater risk of concussion compared with all other head contact locations.ConclusionsInterventions that reduce the speed and acceleration of the tackler and reduce exposure to head-to-head contact would likely reduce concussion risk in professional rugby union.

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Roe, Gregory, Joshua Darrall-Jones, Kevin Till, Padraic Phibbs, Dale Read, Jonathon Weakley, and Ben Jones. "To Jump or Cycle? Monitoring Neuromuscular Function in Rugby Union Players." International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance 12, no. 5 (May 2017): 690–96. http://dx.doi.org/10.1123/ijspp.2016-0273.

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Purpose:To evaluate changes in performance of a 6-s cycle-ergometer test (CET) and countermovement jump (CMJ) during a 6-wk training block in professional rugby union players.Methods:Twelve young professional rugby union players performed 2 CETs and CMJs on the 1st and 4th mornings of every week before the commencement of daily training during a 6-wk training block. Standardized changes in the highest score of 2 CET and CMJ efforts were assessed using linear mixed modeling and magnitude-based inferences.Results:After increases in training load during wk 3 to 5, moderate decreases in CMJ peak and mean power and small decreases in flight time were observed during wk 5 and 6 that were very likely to almost certainly greater than the smallest worthwhile change (SWC), suggesting neuromuscular fatigue. However, only small decreases, possibly greater than the SWC, were observed in CET peak power. Changes in CMJ peak and mean power were moderately greater than in CET peak power during this period, while the difference between flight time and CET peak power was small.Conclusion:The greater weekly changes in CMJ metrics in comparison with CET may indicate differences in the capacities of these tests to measure training-induced lower-body neuromuscular fatigue in rugby union players. However, future research is needed to ascertain the specific modes of training that elicit changes in CMJ and CET to determine the efficacy of each test for monitoring neuromuscular function in rugby union players.

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Howe, P. David. "AN ETHNOGRAPHY OF PAIN AND INJURY IN PROFESSIONAL RUGBY UNION." International Review for the Sociology of Sport 36, no. 3 (September 2001): 289–303. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/101269001036003003.

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Cosgrave, Matthew, and Sean Williams. "The epidemiology of concussion in professional rugby union in Ireland." Physical Therapy in Sport 35 (January 2019): 99–105. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ptsp.2018.11.010.

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Sheard, Michael, and Jim Golby. "Investigating the ‘rigid persistence paradox’ in professional rugby union football." International Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology 7, no. 1 (January 2009): 101–14. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/1612197x.2009.9671895.

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Dallalana, Richard J., John H. M. Brooks, Simon P. T. Kemp, and Andrew M. Williams. "The Epidemiology of Knee Injuries in English Professional Rugby Union." American Journal of Sports Medicine 35, no. 5 (May 2007): 818–30. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0363546506296738.

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Fuller, Colin W., John H. M. Brooks, and Simon P. T. Kemp. "Spinal Injuries in Professional Rugby Union: A Prospective Cohort Study." Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine 17, no. 1 (January 2007): 10–16. http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/jsm.0b013e31802e9c28.

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Kemp, Simon P. T., Zoë Hudson, John H. M. Brooks, and Colin W. Fuller. "The Epidemiology of Head Injuries in English Professional Rugby Union." Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine 18, no. 3 (May 2008): 227–34. http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/jsm.0b013e31816a1c9a.

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Pearce, Christopher J., John H. M. Brooks, Simon P. T. Kemp, and James D. F. Calder. "The epidemiology of foot injuries in professional rugby union players." Foot and Ankle Surgery 17, no. 3 (September 2011): 113–18. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.fas.2010.02.004.

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Black, Katherine E., Chloe Hindle, Rebecca McLay-Cooke, Rachel C. Brown, Claire Gibson, Dane F. Baker, and Brett Smith. "Dietary Intakes Differ by Body Composition Goals: An Observational Study of Professional Rugby Union Players in New Zealand." American Journal of Men's Health 13, no. 6 (November 27, 2019): 155798831989135. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1557988319891350.

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Preseason in rugby union is a period of intensive training where players undergo conditioning to prepare for the competitive season. In some cases, this includes modifying body composition through weight gain or fat loss. This study aimed to describe the macronutrient intakes of professional rugby union players during pre-season training. It was hypothesized that players required to gain weight would have a higher energy, carbohydrate and protein intake compared to those needing to lose weight. Twenty-three professional rugby players completed 3 days of dietary assessment and their sum of eight skinfolds were assessed. Players were divided into three groups by the team coaches and medical staff: weight gain, weight maintain and weight loss. Mean energy intakes were 3,875 ± 907 kcal·d−1 (15,965 ± 3,737 kJ·d−1) (weight gain 4,532 ± 804 kcal·d−1; weight maintain 3,825 ± 803 kcal·d−1; weight loss 3,066 ± 407 kcal·d−1) and carbohydrate intakes were 3.7 ± 1.2 g·kg−1·d−1 (weight gain 4.8 ± 0.9 g.kg−1·d−1; weight maintain 2.8 ± 0.7 g·kg−1·d−1; weight loss 2. 6 ± 0.7 g·kg−1·d−1). The energy and carbohydrate intakes are similar to published intakes among rugby union players. There were significant differences in energy intake and the percent of energy from protein between the weight gain and the weight loss group.

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Lallemand, Benjamin, Christophe Clanet, Sylvain Blanchard, Patricio Noriega, Julien Piscione, Olivier Chaplain, Didier Retière, and Caroline Cohen. "Peak Compression Force Physics in Rugby Union Scrum." Proceedings 49, no. 1 (June 15, 2020): 151. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/proceedings2020049151.

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Scrums play a major role in Rugby Union games, and are historically known as a showdown between the two packs of opposing teams, composed of their eight forwards players organized in a 3-4-1 configuration, respectively. We investigate scrum mechanics by working with professional male forward players from Racing 92, a high-level French Rugby club, and measuring the forces they apply on the French Rugby Federation instrumented scrum machine. Signal analysis reveals two major phases in the force production during a scrummaging effort: an impulsive engagement force, and then a force sustained for a few seconds. We experimentally compare individual performances of the engagement phase. We discuss the influence of the mass and the engagement speed of the players, and we introduce the model we are investigating to describe the individual impact on a scrum machine. We expect this model to be the elementary component of a collective model of a pack.

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Lindsay, Angus, John Lewis, Nicholas Gill, Steven P. Gieseg, and Nick Draper. "Immunity, inflammatory and psychophysiological stress response during a competition of professional rugby union." Pteridines 26, no. 4 (December 1, 2015): 153–60. http://dx.doi.org/10.1515/pterid-2015-0012.

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AbstractNeopterin, cortisol and immunoglobulin A were measured to determine what effect a professional rugby competition has on the immunity, inflammatory and psychophysiological stress response. Urine and saliva were collected from 37 professional players at regular intervals throughout a 20 week professional competition. Total neopterin, cortisol and secretory immunoglobulin A were analysed using enzyme linked immunosorbant assay (ELISA) and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). All markers did not change significantly when analysed as a group during the course of the season compared to baseline (p>0.05), although long-distance travel had a minor effect on cortisol and secretory immunoglobulin A concentrations (p<0.05). More importantly, a large inter-individual variation for all markers was observed (p<0.001). These results indicate this competition of professional rugby does not cause significant changes in psychophysiological stress. Some players however, may become more susceptible to fatigue and infection during the course of a season as a result of suppressed immunity and sustained activation of the inflammatory response.

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Nicholls, Adam R., Jim McKenna, Remco C. J. Polman, and Susan H. Backhouse. "Overtraining During Preseason: Stress and Negative Affective States Among Professional Rugby Union Players." Journal of Clinical Sport Psychology 5, no. 3 (September 2011): 211–22. http://dx.doi.org/10.1123/jcsp.5.3.211.

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The aim of this study was to explore the perceived factors that contribute to stress and negative affective states during preseason among a sample of professional rugby union players. The participants were 12 male professional rugby union players between 18 and 21 years of age (M age = 19 years, SD = 0.85). Data were collected via semistructured interviews and analyzed using an inductive content analysis procedure. Players identified training (structure and volume), the number of matches played and the recovery period, diet, sleep, and travel as factors that they believed contributed to their experience of stress and negative affective states. The present findings suggest that players may require more time to recover between matches, alongside interventions to help players manage the symptoms of stress and negative affect during times in which players are overtraining.

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Kavaliauskas, Mykolas. "Relationships between Muscular Performance and Markers of Well-Being in Elite Rugby Union Players." Sport Science Review 19, no. 3-4 (August 1, 2010): 35–61. http://dx.doi.org/10.2478/v10237-011-0016-9.

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Relationships between Muscular Performance and Markers of Well-Being in Elite Rugby Union Players Regular testing can be used to track athletes' changes in performance over time. However, testing should not be limited to physiological characteristics alone, but also encompass perceived psychological status and well-being. Foster (1998) suggests monitoring of subjective well-being may serve to prevent deterioration in the practice of physical tasks. The relationship between psychological and physiological measures in professional team sport is not fully investigated. St Clair Gibson et al. (2003) proposed that fatigue may be the mental representation of physiological changes characterizing emotions. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to examine relationship between psychological self-assessment of well-being and physiological parameters related to muscular performance in a professional rugby union team. 15 male professional rugby union players (26.5 ± 5.8 years; 102.6 ± 13.4 kg; 186.1 ± 9.5 cm) participated. On a weekly basis over a competitive season players completed a perceived well-being questionnaire related to manifestations of fatigue, and 3 jump squats. Vertical displacement, velocity, power, force and force impulse were calculated for each jump. Time series analysis indicates no relationship between measures of well-being and muscular performance on an individual basis. However, analysis of mean team data does show the existence of a relationship in some cases.

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McKay, Carly, Matthew Cross, Simon Kemp, and Keith Stokes. "Strategies used by professional rugby union clubs to manage players for artificial turf exposure." South African Journal of Sports Medicine 32, no. 1 (October 8, 2020): 1–7. http://dx.doi.org/10.17159/2078-516x/2020/v32i1a8276.

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Background: The use of artificial turf on rugby pitches is increasingly commonplace but there is limited evidence around its effects on injury, recovery, and performance. It is unclear whether this uncertainty influences player management strategies in professional clubs. Objectives: To understand how professional rugby union clubs in England approach player management for artificial turf, to explore how the beliefs of medical and strength/conditioning staff influence these decisions, and to determine whether differences exist between clubs with different levels of exposure to artificial surfaces. Methods: The study was a cross-sectional mixed methods study. Twenty-three medical and strength/conditioning staff members from 12 English Premiership Rugby Union clubs completed two bespoke questionnaires and participated in a semi-structured interview. Results: Two-thirds of the participants described formal club-level approaches to artificial turf. All participants from low- exposure clubs (<50% training and match time on artificial pitches) reported adjusting player recovery strategies following games on artificial turf to mitigate elevated muscle soreness and fatigue. Clubs with artificial surfaces at their home venues were less likely to adapt recovery than clubs with natural turf pitches. Regardless of exposure participants believed switching between surface types was a risk factor for injury. Medics reported that acute injuries associated with artificial turf exposure typically occurred at the foot or ankle, whereas abrasions and overuse injuries were more common and often affected the knees, hips and lower back. Players with compromised joints were less likely to be selected for matches on artificial surfaces. Conclusion: Player management around artificial turf is a focus for staff at professional rugby union clubs. Club practices vary by exposure and may consequently influence injury risk estimates.

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Cruz-Ferreira, Antonio Miguel, Eduardo Miguel Cruz-Ferreira, Pedro Barbosa Ribeiro, Luiz Miguel Santiago, and Luis Taborda-Barata. "Epidemiology of Time-Loss Injuries in Senior and Under-18 Portuguese Male Rugby Players." Journal of Human Kinetics 62, no. 1 (June 13, 2018): 73–80. http://dx.doi.org/10.1515/hukin-2017-0159.

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Abstract Rugby union has one of the highest injury incidence rates in team sports, however, most of the available data focus on the epidemiology of injuries in countries where rugby is popular. We aimed to report the incidence rate and relevant epidemiological aspects of injuries occurred in a group of Portuguese male rugby players. A prospective cohort study was conducted with a group of 45 senior and 32 under-18 male players (total of 77 players). Outcome measures included injury incidence, position, type, location and severity of injuries. The match injury incidence for all players was 55.84 per 1000 player match-hours (66.66 for seniors, 42.85 for under-18), while mean time-loss for injury was 20.79 days. No statistical differences were found between groups. Lower limb injuries accounted for 60.5% of all injuries, while joint/ligament injuries were the most prevalent type. Contact events were responsible for 65.1% of injuries. Despite the limitations, the obtained data are consistent with the literature. Time-loss injuries seem highly prevalent in rugby union and the incidence rates found in this Portuguese-based study were lower than the reported for international and senior men’s professional rugby union, but higher than those occurring in community rugby in tier-1 countries. The authors believe these data reinforce the need to develop and implement effective injury surveillance and prevention programs.

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Posthumus, Logan, Matthew Driller, Katrina Darry, Paul Winwood, Ian Rollo, and Nicholas Gill. "Dietary Intakes of Elite Male Professional Rugby Union Players in Catered and Non-Catered Environments." International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 19, no. 23 (December 4, 2022): 16242. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192316242.

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In professional rugby union, it is common for players to switch between catered and non-catered dietary environments throughout a season. However, little is known about the difference in dietary intake between these two settings. Twelve elite male professional rugby union players (28.3 ± 2.9 y, 188.9 ± 9.5 cm, 104.1 ± 13.3 kg) from the New Zealand Super Rugby Championship completed seven-day photographic food diaries with two-way communication during two seven-day competition weeks in both catered and non-catered environments. While no significant differences were observed in relative carbohydrate intake, mean seven-day absolute energy intakes (5210 ± 674 vs. 4341 ± 654 kcal·day−1), relative protein (2.8 ± 0.3 vs. 2.3 ± 0.3 g·kgBM·day−1) and relative fat (2.1 ± 0.3 vs. 1.5 ± 0.3 g·kgBM·day−1) intakes were significantly higher in the catered compared to the non-catered environment (respectively) among forwards (n = 6). Backs (n = 6) presented non-significantly higher energy and macronutrient intakes within a catered compared to a non-catered environment. More similar dietary intakes were observed among backs regardless of the catering environment. Forwards may require more support and/or attention when transitioning between catered and non-catered environments to ensure that recommended dietary intakes are being achieved.

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Leahy, Therese M., Ian C. Kenny, Mark J. Campbell, Giles D. Warrington, Roisin Cahalan, Andrew J. Harrison, Mark Lyons, et al. "Epidemiology of Shoulder Injuries in Schoolboy Rugby Union in Ireland." Orthopaedic Journal of Sports Medicine 9, no. 8 (August 1, 2021): 232596712110234. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/23259671211023431.

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Background: The shoulder has been reported as a frequent location of injury in adult professional and amateur rugby, with match injury incidence rates ranging from 1.8 to 3 per 1000 player-hours (h). An increased understanding of the incidence and mechanism of shoulder injuries in school rugby players is vital to establish effective injury preventive strategies and advise on appropriate rehabilitation. Purpose: To describe the incidence, nature, and severity of shoulder injuries in schoolboy rugby in Ireland. Study Design: Descriptive epidemiology study. Methods: Injury surveillance was carried out for Senior Cup teams across two seasons (N = 665 players aged 17-19 years) in Ireland from 2018 to 2020. Match and training injury data were recorded using an online system by trained nominated injury recorders. Match exposure was also recorded. Results: Shoulder match injury incidence was 12.2 per 1000 h (95% CI, 9.1-16.2), with a mean severity of 47 days’ time loss and an overall burden of 573 days per 1000 h. In total, 47 match and 5 training shoulder injuries were recorded. The most common injuries were shoulder dislocations/subluxations (34%), followed by acromioclavicular joint sprains (30%). Shoulder dislocations/subluxations represented the most burdensome injury (280 days per 1000 h). The tackle accounted for the majority (81%) of shoulder injuries. Forwards sustained a significantly higher incidence of shoulder injuries (8.3/1000 h) in comparison with backs (3.9/1000 h), with a rate ratio of 2.13 (95% CI, 1.15-3.94; P = .015). Conclusion: We found a notably higher injury incidence rate in schoolboy rugby as compared with the adult amateur and professional game. Shoulder injuries were responsible for more days lost than any other injury, and shoulder dislocations were the most severe. This is of particular concern so early in a player’s career and warrants further investigation into potential risk factors and mechanisms associated with shoulder injuries in school-age players.

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Bennie, Andrew, and Donna O'Connor. "Coaching Philosophies: Perceptions from Professional Cricket, Rugby League and Rugby Union Players and Coaches in Australia." International Journal of Sports Science & Coaching 5, no. 2 (June 2010): 309–20. http://dx.doi.org/10.1260/1747-9541.5.2.309.

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Journal articles on the topic 'Professional Rugby Union'

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