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1
Fuller, Colin, Aileen Taylor, Marc Douglas, and Martin Raftery. "Rugby World Cup 2019 injury surveillance study." South African Journal of Sports Medicine 32, no. 1 (May 4, 2020): 1–6. http://dx.doi.org/10.17159/2078-516x/2020/v32i1a8062.
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Background: Full contact team sports, such as rugby union, have high incidences of injury. Injury surveillance studies underpin player welfare programmes in rugby union. Objective: To determine the incidence, severity, nature and causes of injuries sustained during the Rugby World Cup 2019.
Methods: A prospective, whole population study following the definitions and procedures recommended in the consensus statement for epidemiologic studies in rugby union. Output measures included players’ age (years), stature (cm), body mass (kg), playing position, and group-level incidence (injuries/1000 player-hours), severity (days- absence), injury burden (days absence/1000 player-hours), location (%), type (%) and inciting event (%) of injuries.
Results: Overall incidences of injury were 79.4 match injuries/1000 player-match-hours (95% CI: 67.4 to 93.6) and 1.5 training injuries/1000 player-training-hours (95% CI: 1.0 to 2.3). The overall mean severity of injury was 28.9 (95% CI: 20.0 to 37.8) days absence during matches and 14.8 (95% CI: 4.1 to 25.5) days absence during training. The most common locations and types of match injuries were head/face (22.4%), posterior thigh (12.6%), ligament sprain (21.7%) and muscle strain (20.3%); the ankle (24.0%), posterior thigh (16.0%), muscle strain (44.0%) and ligament sprain (16.0%) were the most common locations and types of injuries during training. Tackling (28.7%), collisions (16.9%) and running (16.9%) were responsible for most match injuries and non-contact (36.0%) and contact (32.0%) rugby skills activities for training injuries.
Conclusion: The incidence, severity, nature and inciting events associated with match and training injuries at Rugby World Cup 2019 were similar to those reported for Rugby World Cups 2007, 2011 and 2015.
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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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Beard, Adam, John Ashby, Ryan Chambers, Franck Brocherie, and Grégoire P. Millet. "Repeated-Sprint Training in Hypoxia in International Rugby Union Players." International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance 14, no. 6 (July 1, 2019): 850–54. http://dx.doi.org/10.1123/ijspp.2018-0170.
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Purpose: To investigate the effects of repeated-sprint training in hypoxia vs in normoxia on world-level male rugby union players’ repeated-sprint ability (RSA) during an international competition period. Methods: A total of 19 players belonging to an international rugby union senior male national team performed 4 sessions of cycling repeated sprints (consisting of 3 × eight 10-s sprints with 20 s passive recovery) either in normobaric hypoxia (RSH, 3000 m; n = 10) or in normoxia (RSN, 300 m; n = 9) over a 2-wk period. Before and after the training intervention, RSA was evaluated using a cycling repeated-sprint test (6 × 10-s maximal sprint and 20-s passive recovery) performed in normoxia. Results: Significant interaction effects (all P < .05, ) between condition and time were found for RSA-related parameters. Compared with Pre, maximal power significantly improved at Post in RSH (12.84 [0.83] vs 13.63 [1.03] W·kg−1, P < .01, ) but not in RSN (13.17 [0.89] vs 13.00 [1.01] W·kg−1, P = .45, ). Mean power was also significantly enhanced from Pre to Post in RSH (11.15 [0.58] vs 11.86 [0.63] W·kg−1, P < .001, ), whereas it remained unchanged in RSN (11.54 [0.61] vs 11.75 [0.65] W·kg−1, P = .23, ). Conclusion: As few as 4 dedicated specific RSH sessions were beneficial to enhance repeated power production in world-level rugby union players. Although the improvement from RSA to game behavior remains unclear, this finding appears to be of practical relevance as only a short preparation window is available prior to international rugby union games.
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Gordon, Greg, Heather Morris-Eyton, and Alliance Kubayi. "Match loads of university rugby union players between the 2016 and 2018 Varsity Cup competitions." South African Journal of Sports Medicine 32, no. 1 (July 27, 2020): 1–4. http://dx.doi.org/10.17159/2078-516x/2020/v32i1a7949.
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Background: Rugby union is a popular and continuously growing sport globally. With the advance of technology, practices have been implemented to quantify the match running demands of rugby union players. The aim of this study was to analyse the match loads of rugby union players between the 2016 and 2018 Varsity Cup competitions.
Methods: The sample consisted of 562 match observations of male university rugby union players competing in the Varsity Cup tournaments.
Results: The backline players ran significantly longer total distances (5105 m; p = 0.001; ES = 0.49); have greater high- speed running (496 m; p = 0.001; ES = 1.03), very high-speed running (260 m; p = 0.001; ES = 1.50) and sprint distances (117 m; p = 0.001; ES = 1.32) than forward players. Backline players also accumulated a high number of metres per minute (238 ± 94; p = 0.001; ES = 0.46), total Player Load (488 ± 203; p = 0.001; ES = 0.31), RHIE (9 ± 8; p = 0.001; ES = 0.75) and number of accelerations (4 ± 5; p = 0.001; ES = 0.49).
Conclusion: These findings may assist coaches to develop player position specific training programmes to meet the physical demands of rugby.
Keywords: rugby union, match loads, physical demands, position
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Ball, Shane, Mark Halaki, Tristan Sharp, and Rhonda Orr. "Injury Patterns, Physiological Profile, and Performance in University Rugby Union." International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance 13, no. 1 (January 1, 2018): 69–74. http://dx.doi.org/10.1123/ijspp.2017-0023.
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Context: Rugby union is a physically demanding collision sport with high injury rates. There is a common perception that higher training loads result in greater injury risk in field-based sports. Objectives: To determine injury, anthropometric, and physical-performance characteristics in junior rugby union players and investigate the interaction between training load and injury across a competitive season. Design: Prospective cohort study. Methods: Fifty-one players (age 19.2 ± 0.7 y) from an under-20 university rugby union team (forwards, n = 27; backs, n = 24) participated in a study conducted over a competition season. Training load, injury characteristics, anthropometry, physiological performance, and match time-loss injury incidence were observed. Results: Backs had significantly lower body mass (ES [95% CI] = 1.6 [0.9, 2.2]), skinfold thickness (ES = 1.1 [0.5, 1.7]), strength (squat ES = 0.6 [0.0, 1.2], deadlift ES = 0.6 [0.0, 1.1], bench press ES = 0.9 [0.4, 1.5]), lower-body power (ES = 0.4 [−0.2, 1.0]), and higher maximal aerobic capacity (ES = −0.3 [−0.8, 0.3]) than forwards. Match injury incidence was 107.3 injuries/1000 player hours (forwards 91.4/1000, backs 125.5/1000) during preseason and 110.7 injuries/1000 player hours (forwards 124.1/1000, backs 95.2/1000) during in-season. Forwards showed higher incidence of joint and ligament (P = .049) and upper-limb (P = .011) injuries than backs. No significant relationship between overall training load and match injury incidence was found. However, lower match injury incidence was associated with higher weekly training volume in backs (P = .007). Conclusions: Positional differences in body composition, performance, injury characteristics, and match injury patterns were identified in junior university rugby union players, indicating the need for position-specific training programs to reduce risk of injury.
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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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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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Grainger, Adam, Paul Comfort, and Shane Heffernan. "No Effect of Partial-Body Cryotherapy on Restoration of Countermovement Jump or Well-Being Performance in Elite Rugby Union Players During the Competitive Phase of the Season." International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance 15, no. 1 (January 1, 2020): 98–104. http://dx.doi.org/10.1123/ijspp.2018-0911.
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Purpose: Partial body cryotherapy (PBC) has been shown to be beneficial for postexercise recovery; however, no study has demonstrated the effectiveness of PBC for recovery following elite rugby union training. Rugby union is a unique sport that involves high-velocity collisions and may induce greater performance decrements than other sports; thus, PBC could be beneficial. The application of PBC in “real world” has rarely been investigated during the competitive phase of a playing season and warranted investigation. Methods: In a counterbalanced sequential research design, professional rugby athletes (n = 18; age 25.4 [4.0] y; training age 7.2 [4.0] y; mass 99.8 [10.6] kg; height 188.3 [6.0] cm) were assigned to a 12-week PBC intervention, washout period (4 wk), and reassessed as their own controls. Self-reported well-being, muscle soreness, sleep quality, and countermovement jump height were assessed before and 40 hours after “real-world” training. Wilcoxon signed-rank tests and Cohen d were used for statistical analysis. Results: No differences were observed between PBC and control conditions (P > .05; d = 0.00–0.14) for well-being (−0.02% [0.08%] vs 0.01% [0.06%]), muscle soreness (−0.01% [0.11%] vs 0.01% [0.16%]), sleep quality (−0.03% [0.14%] vs 0.10% [0.29%]), or countermovement jump height (36.48–36.59 vs 38.13–37.52 cm; P = .54). Conclusions: These results suggest PBC is ineffective for the restoration of selected performance parameters during the performance maintenance phase of the competitive season. To ascertain the appropriation of its use, future investigations should seek to assess the use of cryotherapies at various phases of the elite rugby union competitive season.
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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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West, Stephen W., Sean Williams, Peter Tierney, Tom Batchelor, Matthew J. Cross, Simon P. T. Kemp, and Keith A. Stokes. "Training and match load in professional rugby union: Do contextual factors influence the training week?" South African Journal of Sports Medicine 33, no. 1 (May 25, 2021): 1–6. http://dx.doi.org/10.17159/2078-516x/2021/v33i1a9509.
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Background: Rugby union demands a multifaceted approach to training, given the multiple physical and technical attributes required to play the sport.
Objectives: The aim of this study is to describe the distribution of training throughout the week and investigate how this may be influenced by match-related factors. Methods: Training load data (session Rating of Perceived Exertion [sRPE], total distance and high-speed running [HSR]) were collected from six professional English rugby teams during the 2017/18 season. Five contextual factors were also recorded including: standard of opposition, competition type, result of previous fixture, surface type, and match venue.
Results: The day prior to matches demonstrated the lowest training load (101 AU (95% CIs: 0-216 AU) , 1 047 m (95% CIs:1 128-1 686 m) and 59 m (95% CIs: 0-343 m), respectively), while four days prior to the match demonstrated the highest training load (464 AU (95% CIs: 350-578), 2 983 m (95% CIs: 2 704-3 262m) and 234m (95% CIs: 0-477m), respectively). Of the five contextual factors, competition type was the only variable that demonstrated greater than trivial findings, with training before European fixtures the lowest stimulus across the four different competition types. Standard of opposition, previous result, surface type and venue had only trivial effects on training load (effect sizes = -0.13 to 0.15).
Conclusion: Future studies should outline the distribution of other training metrics, including contact and collision training. This study provides a multi-club evaluation that demonstrates the variety of loading strategies prior to competitive match play and highlights competition type as the most influential contextual factor impacting the average training load.
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Leduc, Cedric, Jason Tee, Padraic Phibbs, Dale Read, Carlos Ramirez, Sawczuk Thomas, Dan Weaving, and Ben Jones. "Objective sleep patterns and validity of self-reported sleep monitoring across different playing levels in rugby union." South African Journal of Sports Medicine 32, no. 1 (September 11, 2020): 1–6. http://dx.doi.org/10.17159/2078-516x/2020/v32i1a8456.
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Background: Growing evidence highlights that elite rugby union players experience poor sleep quality and quantity which can be detrimental for performance.
Objectives: This study aimed to i) compare objective sleep measures of rugby union players between age categories over a one week period, and ii) compare self-reported measures of sleep to wristwatch actigraphy as the criterion.
Methods: Two hundred and fifty-three nights of sleep were recorded from 38 players representing four different age groups (i.e. under 16, under 18, senior academy, elite senior) in a professional rugby union club in the United Kingdom (UK). Linear mixed models and magnitude-based decisions were used for analysis.
Results: The analysis of sleep schedules showed that U16 players went to bed and woke up later than their older counterparts (small differences). In general, players obtained seven hours of sleep per night, with trivial or unclear differences between age groups. The validity analysis highlighted a large relationship between objective and subjective sleep measures for bedtime (r = 0.56 [0.48 to 0.63]), and get up time (r = 0.70 [0.63 to 0.75]). A large standardised typical error (1.50 [1.23 to 1.88]) was observed for total sleep time.
Conclusion: This study highlights that differences exist in sleep schedules between rugby union players in different age categories that should be considered when planning training. Additionally, self-reported measures overestimated sleep parameters. Coaches should consider these results to optimise sleep habits of their players and should be careful with self-reported sleep measures.
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Lehra, Colbert, Othmane Omalekb, Sam Osborne, Zachary Warren, David Saucier, Reuben F. Burch V, John Ball, and Harish Chanderd. "Wearable Applications in Rugby for Performance Quantification and Player Health Assessment: A Brief Review." International Journal of Kinesiology and Sports Science 10, no. 2 (April 30, 2022): 1–10. http://dx.doi.org/10.7575/aiac.ijkss.v.10n.2p.1.
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Background: Wearable technology use in sports has amassed increased attention in recent years. Technological advancements have provided less labor-intensive methods for practitioners and athletes to track kinematic movements, workload metrics, and biometric markers to assess performance and safety. As such, wearables research has spread to a variety of sports; however, the specific wearable technologies used in the rugby codes—rugby league and rugby union—have not been reviewed. Objective: Herein, we present a review that aims to understand the use of wearable technology for performance demand quantification and player health assessment in rugby league and rugby union. Method: We classify extant scientific wearable literature into four research categories: Prehabilitation (preventative rehabilitation), Performance, Rehabilitation, and Data Analysis. Results: Eighteen articles were found using predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria and were grouped into these four research categories. Through this review process, Global Positioning System or GPS-based wearables were found to be utilized more when compared to all other wearable devices associated with peer-reviewed studies for the sport of rugby. In general, wearables were found to be used to support player and practitioner efforts to promote health and ensure peak performance prior to competition. Wearables were also used to determine injury severity and mitigation strategies—such as collision monitoring—and to develop positional activity profiles. Conclusion: Data collected through wearable technology may enhance rugby conditioning programs by enabling the tracking of numerous aspects of training performance and safety in competitive match play. Future research is warranted for standardization of player evaluation and injury predictive modeling.
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Starling, Lindsay T., and Michael I. Lambert. "Monitoring Rugby Players for Fitness and Fatigue: What Do Coaches Want?" International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance 13, no. 6 (July 1, 2018): 777–82. http://dx.doi.org/10.1123/ijspp.2017-0416.
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Purpose: The advantages of monitoring players in a team are well documented. However, barriers associated with lack of resources and time prevent teams from implementing systematic monitoring programs. This study aimed to identify (1) the methods rugby teams use to monitor the training load and associated response to the training load and (2) prerequisites of a monitoring protocol that are scientifically suitable and practically applicable for monitoring fitness and fatigue of rugby players. Methods: Coaches and support staff working with varying levels of rugby union were invited to complete an online questionnaire. Results: Of the 55 respondents, 96% indicated that although they regarded monitoring the training load and training-load response as important, there is no monitoring protocol that is cost-effective, time efficient, and nonaversive to the players. Respondents measured several variables when monitoring and incorporated more subjective than objective measures. Respondents (41%) indicated that they would like a protocol that is time efficient (5–10 min) and provides immediate feedback on players who identify as fatigued (50%). For coaches to have confidence in the information provided by the protocol, it needs to meet basic clinimetric principles of reliability and validity. The technical and biological error in the measurement needs to be known so that meaningful changes in fatigue and fitness can be distinguished from natural variations in the measurements. Conclusions: Prerequisites of an ideal monitoring protocol for rugby players were identified. It follows that a monitoring protocol that fulfills these prerequisites should satisfy both scientific principles and the coach’s demands.
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Hendricks, S., and M. Sarembock. "Attitudes and behaviours of top-level junior rugby union coaches towards the coaching of proper contact technique in the tackle – a pilot study." South African Journal of Sports Medicine 25, no. 1 (April 29, 2013): 8. http://dx.doi.org/10.17159/2413-3108/2013/v25i1a385.
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Background. Coaching strategies for effective technique and injury prevention have been proposed for the tackle. Despite this, little isknown about current coaching attitudes and the behaviours of coaches towards proper contact technique in the tackle, especially at thejunior level.Objective. To report on the attitudes and behaviours of junior rugby union coaches towards coaching of proper contact technique in thetackle.Methods. Seven coaches of the top 8 rugby-playing schools (Premier Division) in the Western Province Rugby Union participated in thestudy (representing 88% of the entire population of top-level junior coaches in the region). Coaches completed a questionnaire, modelledon previous research, surveying attitudes and behaviours towards tackling.Results. Proper technique for injury prevention was rated as very important (57%) and important (29%), with 14% undecided. Propertechnique to improve performance was rated as very important (57%) and important (43%). To further develop coaching knowledgeand to develop new training methods, ‘coaching colleagues’ (very much – 71%; mean rating 4.7; 95% CI 4.3 - 5.2) was rated as the mostoften used.Conclusion. Collectively, the coaches in this study demonstrated a positive attitude towards injury prevention and performance. Additionalmeans of communicating information to coaches, other than the traditional channels, have also been highlighted here.
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Hendricks, S., and M. Sarembock. "Attitudes and behaviours of top-level junior rugby union coaches towards the coaching of proper contact technique in the tackle – a pilot study." South African Journal of Sports Medicine 25, no. 1 (March 15, 2013): 8. http://dx.doi.org/10.17159/2078-516x/2013/v25i1a385.
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Background. Coaching strategies for effective technique and injury prevention have been proposed for the tackle. Despite this, little isknown about current coaching attitudes and the behaviours of coaches towards proper contact technique in the tackle, especially at thejunior level.Objective. To report on the attitudes and behaviours of junior rugby union coaches towards coaching of proper contact technique in thetackle.Methods. Seven coaches of the top 8 rugby-playing schools (Premier Division) in the Western Province Rugby Union participated in thestudy (representing 88% of the entire population of top-level junior coaches in the region). Coaches completed a questionnaire, modelledon previous research, surveying attitudes and behaviours towards tackling.Results. Proper technique for injury prevention was rated as very important (57%) and important (29%), with 14% undecided. Propertechnique to improve performance was rated as very important (57%) and important (43%). To further develop coaching knowledgeand to develop new training methods, ‘coaching colleagues’ (very much – 71%; mean rating 4.7; 95% CI 4.3 - 5.2) was rated as the mostoften used.Conclusion. Collectively, the coaches in this study demonstrated a positive attitude towards injury prevention and performance. Additionalmeans of communicating information to coaches, other than the traditional channels, have also been highlighted here.
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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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Rishiraj, N., and B. Niven. "Male Academy rugby union student-athletes in-season physical anthropometrical and physical performance changes, and comparisons with available data." South African Journal of Sports Medicine 30, no. 1 (October 9, 2018): 1–5. http://dx.doi.org/10.17159/2078-516x/2018/v30i1a5577.
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Background: Physical performance demands of the rugby union (RU) game have increased over the past two decades. However, there are little data on these variables concentrating on developing RU players (student-athletes) over a competitive season.
Objectives: To investigate the potential enhancement of two physical anthropometrical and nine physical performance variables of male New Zealand RU Academy student-athletes over a competitive season and compare with similar published data.
Methods: Twenty student-athletes were recruited to the Otago Rugby Football Union (ORFU) two-year Academy Programme. Each week the student-athletes engaged in 25 hours of strength and conditioning training and participated in 15 hours of on-field rugby training with their respective ORFU Premier League team. Assessments sessions were scheduled for the start of the season, in-season, and pre-play-offs (week 31).
Results: Mean data from 20 student-athletes demonstrated a trivial effect size (ES) increase in body weight and skinfold measurements, while a paired t-test (p<0.05) resulted in concurrent significant improvements in lower-body power (ES = large), acceleration (ES = large), speed (10 m sprint, ES = small, 40 m sprint, ES = small), and upper body strength (bench press, ES = large and bench pull, ES = small). A non-significant physical performance improvement, with trivial ES difference, was also noted in anaerobic endurance performance.
Conclusion: Based on these data significant physical performance enhancements were observed during in-season Premier League competition while limiting fatigue and overtraining.
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Le Roux, Conrad, Andrew Green, and Adrian Lombard. "The physical attributes of sub-elite rugby union referees of inland provinces in South Africa." South African Journal of Sports Medicine 33, no. 1 (February 10, 2021): 1–6. http://dx.doi.org/10.17159/2078-516x/2021/v33i1a8835.
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Background: The purpose of the on-field referee is to implement the laws of the game. For the referee to do this successfully, he is required to keep up with the pace of play. Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine the physical attributes of sub-elite rugby union referees of inland provinces in South Africa.
Methods: A total of 82 referees (age: 26.5 ± 6.4 years; stature: 177.3 ± 6.8 cm; body mass: 79.1 ± 14.7 kg) were assessed with a reliable testing battery.
Results: The participants showed a refined aerobic capacity (VO2max: 61.8 ± 11.0 mL·min-1·kg-1) and good agility (Illinois Agility Test: 17.2 ± 3.8 s). A two-way unbalanced ANOVA was performed for all referees’ attributes between qualification levels (levels 1-4) and union affiliations (three unions) at a significance level of p<0.05. The results yielded significant differences across the three unions in age (p=0.002), Yo-Yo distance (p=0.0001), aerobic capacity (p=0.0001), plank time (p=0.0001) and agility (p=0.027). Similarly, differences were reported across the four qualifications in aerobic capacity (p=0.0001) and agility (p=0.037).
Conclusion: These differences may be due to the diverse training programmes offered by the various unions. Additionally, an increased level of physical fitness may occur when progressing up the qualification levels.
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Balbudhe, Pravin, Dr Brijesh Khandelwal, and Dr Sachin Solanki. "Automated Training Techniques and Electronics Sensors Role in Cricket: A Review." Journal of Physics: Conference Series 2286, no. 1 (July 1, 2022): 012002. http://dx.doi.org/10.1088/1742-6596/2286/1/012002.
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Abstract This paper presents the study about technological involvement in game coaching. Attending multiple players with their performance and accuracy level checking is not feasible for coaches every time. Self-paced training sessions or self-learning methods are invented by different researchers & identify multiple games or the gaming apparatuses for different level automation. Methods used for analysis purpose & described the smart cricket ball & its circuit diagram. Tracking technology that are used in cricket, tennis, Gaelic football, badminton, hurling, rugby union, association football & volleyball, to visually track the trajectory of the ball, Centre of Percussion (COP) in cricket, Accelerometer & Swing angle model. Provides a systematic literature review of smart sport & various methods i.e, SVM, CART, ML, AI, CNN, SVM, ORB, SIFT & SURF. Lastly, future directions of research are proposed in the emerging field of SST.
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Phibbs, Padraic J., Ben Jones, Gregory AB Roe, Dale B. Read, Joshua Darrall-Jones, Jonathon JS Weakley, and Kevin Till. "We know they train, but what do they do? Implications for coaches working with adolescent rugby union players." International Journal of Sports Science & Coaching 12, no. 2 (February 21, 2017): 175–82. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1747954117694734.
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Limited information is available regarding the training loads of adolescent rugby union players. One-hundred and seventy male players (age 16.1 ± 1.0 years) were recruited from 10 teams representing two age categories (under-16 and under-18) and three playing standards (school, club and academy). Global positioning systems, accelerometers, heart rate and session-rating of perceived exertion (s-RPE) methods were used to quantify mean session training loads. Session demands differed between age categories and playing standards. Under-18 academy players were exposed to the highest session training loads in terms of s-RPE (236 ± 42 AU), total distance (4176 ± 433 m), high speed running (1270 ± 288 m) and PlayerLoad™ (424 ± 56 AU). Schools players had the lowest session training loads in both respective age categories. Training loads and intensities increased with age and playing standard. Individual monitoring of training load is key to enable coaches to maximise player development and minimise injury risk.
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Serpell, Benjamin G., Barry G. Horgan, Carmen M. E. Colomer, Byron Field, Shona L. Halson, and Christian J. Cook. "Sleep and Salivary Testosterone and Cortisol During a Short Preseason Camp: A Study in Professional Rugby Union." International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance 14, no. 6 (July 1, 2019): 796–804. http://dx.doi.org/10.1123/ijspp.2018-0600.
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Purpose: To examine changes in, and relationships between, sleep quality and quantity, salivary testosterone, salivary cortisol, testosterone-to-cortisol ratio (T:C), and self-reported muscle soreness during a residential-based training camp in elite rugby players. Methods: Nineteen male rugby players age 26.4 (3.9) years, height 186.0 (9.4) cm, and weight 104.1 (13.4) kg (mean [SD]) participated in this study. Wrist actigraphy devices were worn for 8 nights around a 4-d training camp (2 nights prior, during, and 2 nights after). Sleep-onset latency, sleep duration, sleep efficiency, and waking time were measured. Participants provided saliva samples during camp on waking and again 45 min later, which were then assayed for testosterone and cortisol levels. They also rated their general muscle soreness daily. Results: Little variation was observed for sleep quality and quantity or testosterone. However, significant differences were observed between and within days for cortisol, T:C, and muscle soreness (P < .001). Few relationships were observed for sleep and hormones; the strongest, an inverse relationship for sleep efficiency and T:C (r = −.372, P < .01). Conclusions: There may be no clear and useful relationship between sleep and hormone concentration in a short-term training camp context, and measures of sleep and testosterone and cortisol should be interpreted with caution because of individual variation. Alterations in hormone concentration, particularly cortisol, may be affected by other factors including anticipation of the day ahead. This study adds to our knowledge that changes in hormone concentration are individual and context specific.
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MacLeod, Simon J., Chris Hagan, Mikel Egaña, Jonny Davis, and David Drake. "The Use of Microtechnology to Monitor Collision Performance in Professional Rugby Union." International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance 13, no. 8 (September 1, 2018): 1075–82. http://dx.doi.org/10.1123/ijspp.2017-0124.
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Purpose: To determine if microtechnology-derived collision loads discriminate between collision performance and compare the physical and analytical components of collision performance between positional groups. Methods: Thirty-seven professional male rugby union players participated in this study. Collision events from 11 competitive matches were coded using specific tackle and carry classifications based on the ball-carrier’s collision outcome. Collisions were automatically detected using 10 Hz microtechnology units. Collision events were identified, coded (as tackle or carry), and timestamped at the collision contact point using game analysis software. Attacking and defensive performances of 1609 collision events were analyzed. Results: Collision loads were significantly greater during dominant compared with neutral and passive collisions (P < .001; effect size [ES] = 0.53 and 0.80, respectively), tackles (P < .0001; ES = 0.60 and 0.56, respectively), and carries (P < .001; ES = 0.48 and 0.79, respectively). Overall, forwards reported a greater number and frequency of collisions but lower loads per collision and velocities at collision point than did backs. Microtechnology devices can also accurately, sensitively, and specifically identify collision events (93.3%, 93.8%, and 92.8%, respectively). Conclusion: Microtechnology is a valid means of discriminating between tackle and carry performance. Thus, microtechnology-derived collision load data can be utilized to track and monitor collision events in training and games.
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Leduc, Cedric, Dan Weaving, Cameron Owen, Carlos Ramirez-Lopez, Sarah Chantler, Anis Aloulou, Jason Tee, and Ben Jones. "The effect of acute sleep extension vs active recovery on post exercise recovery kinetics in rugby union players." PLOS ONE 17, no. 8 (August 18, 2022): e0273026. http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0273026.
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Background Elite rugby players experience poor sleep quality and quantity. This lack of sleep could compromise post-exercise recovery. Therefore, it appears central to encourage sleep in order to improve recovery kinetics. However, the effectiveness of an acute ergogenic strategy such as sleep extension on recovery has yet to be investigated among athletes. Aim To compare the effects of a single night of sleep extension to an active recovery session (CON) on post-exercise recovery kinetics. Methods In a randomised cross-over design, 10 male rugby union players participated in two evening training sessions (19:30) involving collision activity, 7-days apart. After each session, participants either extended their sleep to 10 hours or attended an early morning recovery session (07:30). Prior to (PRE), immediately after (POST 0 hour [h]), 14h (POST 14) and 36h (POST 36) post training, neuromuscular, perceptual and cognitive measures of fatigue were assessed. Objective sleep parameters were monitored two days before the training session and over the two-day recovery period. Results The training session induced substantial decreases in countermovement jump mean power and wellness across all time points, while heart rate recovery decreased at POST 0 in both conditions. Sleep extension resulted in greater total sleep time (effect size [90% confidence interval]: 5.35 [4.56 to 6.14]) but greater sleep fragmentation than CON (2.85 [2.00 to 3.70]). Between group differences highlight a faster recovery of cognitive performance following sleep extension (-1.53 [-2.33 to -0.74]) at POST 14, while autonomic function (-1.00 [-1.85 to -0.16]) and upper-body neuromuscular function (-0.78 [-1.65 to 0.08]) were better in CON. However, no difference in recovery status between groups was observed at POST 36. Conclusion The main finding of this study suggests that sleep extension could affect cognitive function positively but did not improve neuromuscular function the day after a late exercise bout.
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Burger, Nicholas, Mike Ian Lambert, Wayne Viljoen, James Craig Brown, Clint Readhead, Steve den Hollander, and Sharief Hendricks. "Mechanisms and Factors Associated With Tackle-Related Injuries in South African Youth Rugby Union Players." American Journal of Sports Medicine 45, no. 2 (December 21, 2016): 278–85. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0363546516677548.
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Background: The majority of injuries in rugby union occur during tackle events. The mechanisms and causes of these injuries are well established in senior rugby union. Purpose: To use information from an injury database and assess video footage of tackle-related injuries in youth rugby union matches to identify environmental factors and mechanisms that are potentially confounding to these injuries. Study Design: Descriptive epidemiological study. Methods: Injury surveillance was conducted at the under-18 Craven Week rugby tournament. Tackle-related injury information was used to identify injury events in match video footage (role-matched noninjury tackle events were identified for the cohort of injured players). Events were coded using match situational variables (precontact, contact, and postcontact). Relative risk ratio (RRR; ratio of probability of an injury or noninjury outcome occurring when a characteristic was observed) was reported by use of logistic regression. Results: In comparison with the first quarter, injury risk was greater in the third (RRR = 9.75 [95% CI, 1.71-55.64]; P = .010) and fourth quarters (RRR = 6.97 [95% CI, 1.09-44.57]; P = .040) for ball carriers and in the fourth quarter (RRR = 9.63 [95% CI, 1.94-47.79]; P = .006) for tacklers. Ball carriers were less likely to be injured when they were aware of impending contact (RRR = 0.14 [95% CI, 0.03-0.66]; P = .012) or when they executed a moderate fend (hand-off) (RRR = 0.22 [95% CI, 0.06-0.84]; P = .026). Tacklers were less likely to be injured when performing shoulder tackles (same side as leading leg) in comparison to an arm-only tackle (RRR = 0.02 [95% CI, 0.001-0.79]; P = .037). Ball carriers (RRR = 0.09 [95% CI, 0.01-0.89]; P = .040) and tacklers (RRR = 0.02 [95% CI, 0.001-0.32]; P =.006) were less likely to be injured when initial contact was made with the tackler’s shoulder/arm instead of his head/neck. Conclusion: The relative risk of tackle-related injury was higher toward the end of matches. Incorrect technique may contribute to increased injury risk. Implementing recovery strategies between matches, training safe and effective techniques, and improving levels of conditioning may counter the negative effects of fatigue. These findings may assist stakeholders in youth rugby to formulate injury prevention strategies and may improve the preparation of field-side medical staff for managing tackle-related injuries at these or similar tournaments.
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Yao, Xiang, Christopher Curtis, Anthony Turner, Chris Bishop, Alex Austerberry, and Shyam Chavda. "Anthropometric Profiles and Physical Characteristics in Competitive Female English Premiership Rugby Union Players." International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance 16, no. 9 (September 1, 2021): 1234–41. http://dx.doi.org/10.1123/ijspp.2020-0017.
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Rugby union (RU) is a field-based team sport with a large number of high-intensity actions such as sprinting, change of direction, tackling, scrummaging, rucking, and mauling. Competitive success in female RU has previously been related to anthropometric and physical characteristics, and with the recent introduction of professionalism in female rugby, characterizing such physical attributes may provide insight into selection and training processes. Purpose: To identify anthropometric and physical characteristics of competitive female RU players and differences between playing positions. Methods: Twenty-two players were recruited from the top tier of female RU in the United Kingdom during the 2018–2019 Premiership season. Players were split into forwards and backs and underwent body composition testing via dual-X-ray absorptiometry and physical characteristic tests (10- and 20-m speed, 1-repetition-maximum bench press and squat, countermovement jump, drop jump, isometric midthigh pull, and 1200-m shuttle). Results: Moderate to large significant differences between playing positions in both anthropometric and physical characteristics were found (P < .01). Forwards displayed greater body mass (P = .03), fat mass (P = .01), and absolute upper-body strength (P = .03), whereas backs demonstrated superior countermovement jump height (P = .01), drop jump height (P = .01), greater reactive strength (P = .03), and speed (P = .03). Conclusion: These findings provide practitioners with a greater understanding of anthropometric and physical characteristics of professional female RU players.
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Pareja-Blanco, Fernando, Lucas A. Pereira, Valter P. Reis, Victor Fernandes, Ademir F. S. Arruda, Aristide Guerriero, Pedro E. Alcaraz, Tomás T. Freitas, and Irineu Loturco. "Impact of Sled Loads on Performance and Kinematics of Elite Sprinters and Rugby Players." International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance 17, no. 3 (March 1, 2022): 465–73. http://dx.doi.org/10.1123/ijspp.2020-0867.
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Purpose: To examine the changes in resisted sprint performance and kinematics provoked by different sled loads in elite sprinters and rugby players. Methods: Eight elite male sprinters and 10 rugby union players performed 20-m sprints under 3 loading conditions (0%, 20%, and 60% body mass [BM]). Sprint time was measured in 0 to 5, 5 to 10, and 10 to 20 m, while stride length and hip, knee, and ankle angles were measured using an 8-sensor motion analysis system at the same distances. Results: Sprinters were significantly faster than rugby players in unresisted and resisted sprints using 20% BM (effect size, “ES” [90% confidence limit, CL] range: 0.65 [0.03 to 1.27]; 3.95 [3.10 to 4.81]), but these differences were not significant at 60% BM. Compared to rugby players, sprinters showed lower velocity decrement in resisted sprints using 20% BM (ES [90% CL] range: 0.75 [0.06 to 1.44]; 2.43 [0.83 to 4.02], but higher velocity decrement using 60% BM (ES [90% CL] range: 1.13 [0.43 to 1.82]; 1.46 [0.81 to 2.11]). No significant differences were detected in stride length between sprinters and rugby players for any sprint condition (ES [90% CL] range: 0.02 [−0.72 to 0.76]; 0.84 [0.13 to 1.54]). Rugby players showed higher hip flexion in resisted sprints (ES [90% CL] range: 0.30 [−0.54 to 1.14]; 1.17 [0.20 to 2.15]) and lower plantar flexion in both unresisted and resisted sprints (ES [90% CL] range: 0.78 [0.18 to 1.38]; 1.69 [1.00 to 2.38] than sprinters. Conclusions: The alterations induced by resisted sprints in sprint velocity and running technique differed between sprinters and rugby players. Some caution should be taken with general sled loads prescriptions, especially when relative loads are based on distinct percentages of BM, as training responses vary among sports and individuals.
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Fontana, Federico Y., Alessandro Colosio, Gabriela F. De Roia, Giorgio Da Lozzo, and Silvia Pogliaghi. "Anthropometrics of Italian Senior Male Rugby Union Players: From Elite to Second Division." International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance 10, no. 6 (September 2015): 674–80. http://dx.doi.org/10.1123/ijspp.2015-0014.
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Anthropometric evaluation of athletes is necessary to optimize talent identification and player development. Objectives: To provide a specific anthropometric reference database of senior male rugby players competing at different levels in the southern European region. Design: Cross-sectional. Methods: In 362 professional players (25 ± 4 y; 138 Italian national team, 97 first-division, and 127 second-division national championships) the authors measured mass, stature, and percentage body fat (plicometry). Mean, SD, and coefficient of variation were calculated for forwards and backs and for positional subgroups. Binomial logistic regression and receiver-operating-characteristic curve were performed to assess which variables best predicted level assignment (international vs national level). Results: For all competitive levels forwards were significantly heavier and taller and had a larger percentage body fat and fat-free mass than backs. The lower the competitive level, the higher the within-role variability observed; furthermore, players in a specific positional subgroup were lighter, shorter, and fatter and had less fat-free mass. Fat-free mass is the variable that best predicts the likelihood of being classified as an international or national player (cutoff value 79.54 kg). Conclusions: The data confirm the specificity in the physical requirements of rugby in individual playing positions at all competitive levels and document significant differences among elite and 1st- and 2nd-division players in the same positional role. These differences may reflect the variable technical abilities, selection, training practices, and requirements of the game among these categories.
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Read, Dale B., Ben Jones, Sean Williams, Padraic J. Phibbs, Josh D. Darrall-Jones, Greg A. B. Roe, Jonathon J. S. Weakley, Andrew Rock, and Kevin Till. "The Physical Characteristics of Specific Phases of Play During Rugby Union Match Play." International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance 13, no. 10 (November 1, 2018): 1331–36. http://dx.doi.org/10.1123/ijspp.2017-0625.
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Purpose: To quantify the frequencies and timings of rugby union match-play phases (ie, attacking, defending, ball in play [BIP], and ball out of play [BOP]) and then compare the physical characteristics of attacking, defending, and BOP between forwards and backs. Methods: Data were analyzed from 59 male rugby union academy players (259 observations). Each player wore a microtechnology device (OptimEye S5; Catapult, Melbourne, Australia) with video footage analyzed for phase timings and frequencies. Dependent variables were analyzed using a linear mixed-effects model and assessed with magnitude-based inferences and Cohen d effect sizes (ES). Results: Attack, defense, BIP, and BOP times were 12.7 (3.1), 14.7 (2.5), 27.4 (2.9), and 47.4 (4.1) min, respectively. Mean attack (26 [17] s), defense (26 [18] s), and BIP (33 [24] s) phases were shorter than BOP phases (59 [33] s). The relative distance in attacking phases was similar (112.2 [48.4] vs 114.6 [52.3] m·min−1, ES = 0.00 ± 0.23) between forwards and backs but greater in forwards (114.5 [52.7] vs 109.0 [54.8] m·min−1, ES = 0.32 ± 0.23) during defense and greater in backs during BOP (ES = −0.66 ± 0.23). Conclusions: Total time in attack, defense, and therefore BIP was less than BOP. Relative distance was greater in forwards during defense, whereas it was greater in backs during BOP and similar between positions during attack. Players should be exposed to training intensities from in-play phases (ie, attack and defense) rather than whole-match data and practice technical skills during these intensities.
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Beard, Adam, Ryan Chambers, Gregoire P. Millet, and Franck Brocherie. "Comparison of Game Movement Positional Profiles Between Professional Club and Senior International Rugby Union Players." International Journal of Sports Medicine 40, no. 06 (March 25, 2019): 385–89. http://dx.doi.org/10.1055/a-0858-9973.
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AbstractThe purpose of this study was to compare the game movement demands between professional club and senior international rugby union players. Data were obtained from 188 players from 4 professional club teams (Rabo Direct Pro12) and the affiliated international team during the 2014–15 season. Players were tracked by global positioning system (GPS) sampled at 10 Hz and were categorized into 6 different positional groups (front row forwards, FRF; second row forwards, SRF; back row forwards, BRF; half backs, HB; centres, C; outside backs, OB) and separated into playing standard (club vs. international level). Data on distance, distance per minute, high speed running, maximum velocity, sprint distance and efforts as well as repeated high-intensity locomotion efforts (RHILE) were collected. Significant effects (P<0 .05) between club and international were found for RHILE in all 6 positional groupings with a higher number of RHILE in international vs. club games. Significantly (P<0.05) greater total distance and meterage were also shown in international compared to club for OB position. The RHILE differences between club and international games whatever the positions appear of practical relevance for coaches and performance staff to concentrate on training protocols to enhance this quality as well as evaluation methods.
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Weakley, Jonathon, Kevin Till, John Sampson, Harry Banyard, Cedric Leduc, Kyle Wilson, Greg Roe, and Ben Jones. "The Effects of Augmented Feedback on Sprint, Jump, and Strength Adaptations in Rugby Union Players After a 4-Week Training Program." International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance 14, no. 9 (October 1, 2019): 1205–11. http://dx.doi.org/10.1123/ijspp.2018-0523.
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Purpose: Feedback can enhance acute physical performance. However, its effects on physical adaptation have received little attention. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine the effect of feedback during a 4-wk training program on jump, sprint, and strength adaptations. Methods: A total of 28 semiprofessional male rugby union players were strength-matched into 2 groups (feedback and nonfeedback). During the 4-wk training program, the Feedback group received immediate, objective feedback on (1) mean concentric velocity during resistance training repetitions, (2) distance feedback for standing broad jumps, and (3) time for sprints. The Nonfeedback group was not provided additional information. Across the 4-wk mesocycle, subjects completed 3 strength and conditioning sessions per week. Countermovement jump, standing long jump, 10- and 20-m sprint, and 3-repetition-maximum barbell back squat and bench press were measured before and after the training intervention. Magnitude-based inferences assessed meaningful changes within and between groups. Results: The Feedback group showed small to moderate improvements in outcome measures, whereas the Nonfeedback group demonstrated trivial to small improvements. Improvements in countermovement-jump relative peak power (effect size ± 90% confidence limits: 0.34 ± 0.42), 10-m (0.20 ± 0.35) and 20-m sprints (0.40 ± 0.21), and 3-repetition-maximum back squats (0.23 ± 0.17) were possibly to likely greater for the Feedback condition than for Nonfeedback. Conclusions: Providing augmented feedback during strength and conditioning routines can enhance training adaptations compared with athletes who do not receive feedback. Consequently, practitioners should consider providing kinematic outputs, displacement, or sprint time at the completion of each repetition as athletes train.
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Vachon, Adrien, Olivier Dupuy, Corentin Le Moal, and Laurent Bosquet. "Reliability of Scores Computed by a Commercial Virtual Reality System and Association with Indices of Cognitive Performance in Male Elite Rugby Players." Applied Sciences 13, no. 2 (January 11, 2023): 1001. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/app13021001.
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Purpose: To examine the reliability of scores calculated from virtual reality (VR) games and their association with inhibitory control and cognitive flexibility in young elite rugby players. Methods: Following a familiarization session, seventeen rugby union players completed a session of a modified Stroop test and two sessions of three VR games consisting of (1) memorizing moving targets (Tracker Master); (2) selecting moving targets while avoiding pitfalls (Beat Master—Never Stop); and (3) selecting moving targets with an increasing frequency of appearance (Beat Master—Turbo). Results: The reliability of Beat Master—Never Stop was poor to moderate (0.41 < intraclass coefficient correlation [ICC] < 0.62; 3.2% < standard error of measurement [SEM] < 26.1%), while it was good to very good for Beat Master—Turbo (0.77 < ICC < 0.87; 3.2% < SEM < 18.2%). Regarding Tracker Master, reliability was considered as low to moderate (0.22 < ICC < 0.60; 2.2% < SEM < 6.0%). We found strong associations between Tracker Master and Stroop flexibility scores (−0.55 < ⎜r⎜ < −0.64), as well as strong to very strong associations between Beat Master—Never Stop scores and the Stroop inhibition score (0.52 < ⎜r⎜ < 0.84). Conclusions: Considering their metrological properties and their association level with inhibition and flexibility, the sensibility scores of the Beat Master—Never Stop and Tracker Master games should be preferred for monitoring training load, provided at least two familiarization sessions precede them.
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Ekstrand, Jan, Armin Spreco, Johann Windt, and Karim M. Khan. "Are Elite Soccer Teams’ Preseason Training Sessions Associated With Fewer In-Season Injuries? A 15-Year Analysis From the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) Elite Club Injury Study." American Journal of Sports Medicine 48, no. 3 (January 28, 2020): 723–29. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0363546519899359.
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Background: Preseason training develops players’ physical capacities and prepares them for the demands of the competitive season. In rugby, Australian football, and American football, preseason training may protect elite players against in-season injury. However, no study has evaluated this relationship at the team level in elite soccer. Purpose/Hypothesis: The aim of this study was to investigate whether the number of preseason training sessions completed by elite soccer teams was associated with team injury rates and player availability during the competitive season. It was hypothesized that elite soccer teams who participate in more preseason training will sustain fewer injuries during the competitive season. Study Design: Descriptive epidemiology study. Methods: We used the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) injury dataset to analyze 44 teams for up to 15 seasons (total, 244 team-seasons). Separate linear regression models examined the association between the number of team preseason training sessions and 5 in-season injury measures. Injury-related problems per team were quantified by totals of the following: (1) injury burden, (2) severe injury incidence, (3) training attendance, (4) match availability, and (5) injury incidence. Results: Teams averaged 30 preseason training sessions (range, 10-51). A greater number of preseason training sessions was associated with less injury load during the competitive season in 4 out of 5 injury-related measures. Our linear regression models revealed that for every 10 additional preseason training sessions that the team performed, the in-season injury burden was 22 layoff days lower per 1000 hours ( P = .002), the severe injury incidence was 0.18 severe injuries lower per 1000 hours ( P = .015), the training attendance was 1.4 percentage points greater ( P = .014), and the match availability was 1.0 percentage points greater ( P = .042). As model fits were relatively low (adjusted R2 = 1.3%-3.2%), several factors that contribute to in-season injury outcomes were unaccounted for. Conclusion: Teams that performed a greater number of preseason training sessions had “healthier” in-season periods. Many other factors also contribute to in-season injury rates. Understanding the benefit of preseason training on in-season injury patterns may inform sport teams’ planning and preparation.
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Leduc, Cédric, Jason Tee, Mathieu Lacome, Jonathon Weakley, Jeremy Cheradame, Carlos Ramirez, and Ben Jones. "Convergent Validity, Reliability, and Sensitivity of a Running Test to Monitor Neuromuscular Fatigue." International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance 15, no. 8 (September 1, 2020): 1067–73. http://dx.doi.org/10.1123/ijspp.2019-0319.
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Purpose: To investigate the convergent validity, reliability, and sensitivity over a week of training of a standardized running test to measure neuromuscular fatigue. Methods: Twenty male rugby union players were recruited for the study, which took place during preseason. The standardized running test consisted of four 60-m runs paced at ~5 m·s−1 with 33 seconds of recovery between trials. Data from micromechanical electrical systems were used to calculate a running-load index (RLI), which was a ratio between the mechanical load and the speed performed during runs. RLI was calculated by using either the entire duration of the run or a constant-velocity period. For each type of calculation, either an individual directional or the sum of the 3 components of the accelerometer was used. A measure of leg stiffness was used to assess the convergent validity of the RLI. Results: Unclear to large relationships between leg stiffness and RLI were found (r ranged from −.20 to .62). Regarding reliability, small to moderate (.47–.86) standardized typical errors were found. The sensitivity analysis showed that the leg stiffness presented a very likely trivial change over the course of 1 week of training, whereas RLI showed very likely small to a most likely large change. Conclusions: This study showed that RLI is a practical method to measure neuromuscular fatigue. In addition, such a methodology aligns with the constraint of elite team-sport setup due to its ease of implementation in practice.
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Wall, Conor, Dylan Powell, Fraser Young, Aaron J. Zynda, Sam Stuart, Tracey Covassin, and Alan Godfrey. "A deep learning-based approach to diagnose mild traumatic brain injury using audio classification." PLOS ONE 17, no. 9 (September 28, 2022): e0274395. http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0274395.
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Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI or concussion) is receiving increased attention due to the incidence in contact sports and limitations with subjective (pen and paper) diagnostic approaches. If an mTBI is undiagnosed and the athlete prematurely returns to play, it can result in serious short-term and/or long-term health complications. This demonstrates the importance of providing more reliable mTBI diagnostic tools to mitigate misdiagnosis. Accordingly, there is a need to develop reliable and efficient objective approaches with computationally robust diagnostic methods. Here in this pilot study, we propose the extraction of Mel Frequency Cepstral Coefficient (MFCC) features from audio recordings of speech that were collected from athletes engaging in rugby union who were diagnosed with an mTBI or not. These features were trained on our novel particle swarm optimised (PSO) bidirectional long short-term memory attention (Bi-LSTM-A) deep learning model. Little-to-no overfitting occurred during the training process, indicating strong reliability of the approach regarding the current test dataset classification results and future test data. Sensitivity and specificity to distinguish those with an mTBI were 94.7% and 86.2%, respectively, with an AUROC score of 0.904. This indicates a strong potential for the deep learning approach, with future improvements in classification results relying on more participant data and further innovations to the Bi-LSTM-A model to fully establish this approach as a pragmatic mTBI diagnostic tool.
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Harper, Damian J., Christopher Carling, and John Kiely. "High-Intensity Acceleration and Deceleration Demands in Elite Team Sports Competitive Match Play: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Observational Studies." Sports Medicine 49, no. 12 (September 10, 2019): 1923–47. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s40279-019-01170-1.
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Abstract Background The external movement loads imposed on players during competitive team sports are commonly measured using global positioning system devices. Information gleaned from analyses is employed to calibrate physical conditioning and injury prevention strategies with the external loads imposed during match play. Intense accelerations and decelerations are considered particularly important indicators of external load. However, to date, no prior meta-analysis has compared high and very high intensity acceleration and deceleration demands in elite team sports during competitive match play. Objective The objective of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to quantify and compare high and very high intensity acceleration vs. deceleration demands occurring during competitive match play in elite team sport contexts. Methods A systematic review of four electronic databases (CINAHL, MEDLINE, SPORTDiscus, Web of Science) was conducted to identify peer-reviewed articles published between January 2010 and April 2018 that had reported higher intensity (> 2.5 m·s−2) accelerations and decelerations concurrently in elite team sports competitive match play. A Boolean search phrase was developed using key words synonymous to team sports (population), acceleration and deceleration (comparators) and match play (outcome). Articles only eligible for meta-analysis were those that reported either or both high (> 2.5 m·s−2) and very high (> 3.5 m·s−2) intensity accelerations and decelerations concurrently using global positioning system devices (sampling rate: ≥ 5 Hz) during elite able-bodied (mean age: ≥ 18 years) team sports competitive match play (match time: ≥ 75%). Separate inverse random-effects meta-analyses were conducted to compare: (1) standardised mean differences (SMDs) in the frequency of high and very high intensity accelerations and decelerations occurring during match play, and (2) SMDs of temporal changes in high and very high intensity accelerations and decelerations across first and second half periods of match play. Using recent guidelines recommended for the collection, processing and reporting of global positioning system data, a checklist was produced to help inform a judgement about the methodological limitations (risk of detection bias) aligned to ‘data collection’, ‘data processing’ and ‘normative profile’ for each eligible study. For each study, each outcome was rated as either ‘low’, ‘unclear’ or ‘high’ risk of bias. Results A total of 19 studies met the eligibility criteria, comprising seven team sports including American Football (n = 1), Australian Football (n = 2), hockey (n = 1), rugby league (n = 4), rugby sevens (n = 3), rugby union (n = 2) and soccer (n = 6) with a total of 469 male participants (mean age: 18–29 years). Analysis showed only American Football reported a greater frequency of high (SMD = 1.26; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.06–1.43) and very high (SMD = 0.19; 95% CI − 0.42 to 0.80) intensity accelerations compared to decelerations. All other sports had a greater frequency of high and very high intensity decelerations compared to accelerations, with soccer demonstrating the greatest difference for both the high (SMD = − 1.74; 95% CI − 1.28 to − 2.21) and very high (SMD = − 3.19; 95% CI − 2.05 to − 4.33) intensity categories. When examining the temporal changes from the first to the second half periods of match play, there was a small decrease in both the frequency of high and very high intensity accelerations (SMD = 0.50 and 0.49, respectively) and decelerations (SMD = 0.42 and 0.46, respectively). The greatest risk of bias (40% ‘high’ risk of bias) observed across studies was in the ‘data collection’ procedures. The lowest risk of bias (35% ‘low’ risk of bias) was found in the development of a ‘normative profile’. Conclusions To ensure that elite players are optimally prepared for the high-intensity accelerations and decelerations imposed during competitive match play, it is imperative that players are exposed to comparable demands under controlled training conditions. The results of this meta-analysis, accordingly, can inform practical training designs. Finally, guidelines and recommendations for conducting future research, using global positioning system devices, are suggested.
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Hendricks, Sharief, Kevin Till, Dan Weaving, Alun Powell, Simon Kemp, Keith Stokes, and Ben Jones. "Training, match and non-rugby activities in elite male youth rugby union players in England." International Journal of Sports Science & Coaching 14, no. 3 (February 13, 2019): 336–43. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1747954119829289.
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Rugby union is a late specialisation sport. As a consequence, youth players may still be engaged in other activities and sports throughout the year as they transition to rugby specialisation. Limited research exists quantifying rugby union training and matches as well as engagement in other activities and sports. Therefore, the aim of this study was to quantify and compare rugby union training, matches and other activities of elite youth U15 and U16 rugby union players at different stages of the season. Four-hundred and ninety-two youth (Under-15 and 16-year-old) rugby union players self-reported the frequency, intensity and duration of their participation in rugby union matches, rugby union training, gym, physical education and other sports during three different stages – September to December (Sept–Dec), January to April (Jan–Apr), May to August (May–Aug) – of the year. When all activities were combined, the frequency and volume of rugby matches and training was the greatest during the Sept–Dec stage. The frequency and volume of participating in other sports increased in the May–Aug stage of the season. Gym training frequency, intensity, and duration were stable across the year for both U15 and U16 players. Coaches and practitioners working with elite youth rugby union players should be aware that players are still participating in other activities outside of rugby training and competition. Coaches and practitioners should put structures in place to plan and monitor players' activities in order to optimise the positive outcomes of specialisation (e.g., expertise) while reducing the potential negative outcomes (e.g., injury, burnout).
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Vaz, Luís, Bruno Figueira, and Bruno Gonçalves. "Classifying youth rugby union players by training performances." International Journal of Performance Analysis in Sport 15, no. 1 (March 2015): 159–71. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/24748668.2015.11868784.
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Hendricks, Sharief, Kevin Till, James Craig Brown, and Ben Jones. "Rugby union needs a contact skill-training programme." British Journal of Sports Medicine 51, no. 10 (November 7, 2016): 829–30. http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2016-096347.
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Engelbrecht, Louise, Elmarie Terblanche, and Karen E. Welman. "Video-based perceptual training as a method to improve reactive agility performance in rugby union players." International Journal of Sports Science & Coaching 11, no. 6 (November 29, 2016): 799–809. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1747954116676106.
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This study investigated the effectiveness of rugby-specific video-based perceptual training on the speed and agility of club-level rugby union players. Twenty-six players were randomly divided into either a video-based, field-based or conventional training group. For six weeks, the video-based and field-based groups performed agility training twice a week in addition to their regular rugby training, while the control group was restricted to regular rugby training. Speed, reactive agility and change of direction speed were tested pre- and post-intervention, and after a six-week retention period. Results revealed that both video- and field-based training were almost certainly more beneficial (13% and 17%, respectively) to improve reactive agility compared to conventional rugby training alone. In addition, both intervention groups maintained their reactive agility improvements following the retention period. Consequently, video-based training, likely because of a perceptual component, could be used as an alternative training method to improve reactive agility.
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Hartwig, Timothy B., Geraldine Naughton, and John Searl. "Defining the Volume and Intensity of Sport Participation in Adolescent Rugby Union Players." International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance 3, no. 1 (March 2008): 94–106. http://dx.doi.org/10.1123/ijspp.3.1.94.
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Purpose:Investigating adolescent training loads might help us understand optimal training adaptations. GPS tracking devices and training diaries were used to quantify weekly sport and other physical activity demands placed on adolescent rugby union players and profile typical rugby training sessions.Methods:Participants were 75 males age 14 to 18 y who were recruited from rugby teams representing 3 levels of participation: schoolboy, national representative, and a selective sports school talent squad.Results:Schoolboy players covered a distance of (mean ± SD) 3511 ± 836 m, representative-squad players 3576 ± 956 m, and talent-squad players 2208 ± 637 m per rugby training session. The representative squad recorded the highest weekly duration of sport and physical activity (515 ± 222 min/wk), followed by the talent squad (421 ± 211 min/week) and schoolboy group (370 ± 135 min/wk). Profiles of individual players identified as group outliers showed participation in up to 3 games and up to 11 training sessions per week, with twice the weekly load of the team averages.Conclusion:Optimal participation and performance of adolescent rugby union players might be compromised by many high-load, high-impact training sessions and games and commitments to other sports and physical activities. An improved understanding of monitoring and quantifying load in adolescent athletes is needed to facilitate best-practice advice for player management and training prescription.
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Hendricks, Sharief, Martin Sarembock, Ben Jones, Kevin Till, and Mike Lambert. "The tackle in South African youth rugby union – Gap between coaches' knowledge and training behaviour." International Journal of Sports Science & Coaching 12, no. 6 (November 2, 2017): 708–15. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1747954117738880.
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In youth rugby union matches, tackle-related injuries account for 60% of all injuries, 62% of concussion injuries and almost 50% of spinal cord injuries (youth and amateur). Because of this high risk of injury, the inclusion of the tackle in youth rugby has been a topic of discussion in the public and a high priority research area for World Rugby. What a coach knows and his/her attitude toward player safety directly impacts the risk and performance profile of a player. The purpose of this study is to describe the tackle knowledge, attitudes and training behaviours of youth rugby coaches. The entire population of Western Province Rugby Union Premier A1 division (highest level of school rugby) under-19 rugby coaches (n = 8) completed a knowledge and attitude questionnaire and 96 field-training sessions were observed over four weeks. Coaches rated tackling (mean 3.9, 95% confidence interval 3.3–4.4), rucking (mean 3.8, 95% confidence interval 3.0–4.5) and ball-carrying (mean 3.6, 95% confidence interval 2.6–4.6) as high-risk of injury facets of play ( H = 30.8, p < 0.001). Coaching proper technique was rated as very important for safety (mean 4.6, 95% confidence interval 4.2–5.0) and performance (mean 4.8, 95% confidence interval 4.4–5.0, U = 28, p > 0.05). Of the 96 observed training sessions, tackle training was recorded 16% of the time (vs. 84% no tackle training, p < 0.001). Coaches were aware of the risk of injury in the tackle and rated the coaching of proper technique of utmost importance. These positive knowledge and attitudes did not transfer into their tackle training. The discrepancy between coaches' tackle knowledge and attitudes, and their training of the tackle might be related to how competent they believe themselves to be in delivering tackle training.
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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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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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Mascarenhas, Duncan R. D., Dave Collins, Patrick W. Mortimer, and Bob Morris. "Training Accurate and Coherent Decision Making in Rugby Union Referees." Sport Psychologist 19, no. 2 (June 2005): 131–47. http://dx.doi.org/10.1123/tsp.19.2.131.
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The purpose of this investigation was to pilot a video-based training program designed to develop referees’ shared mental models. A group of English Rugby Football Union (RFU) national referees, divided into a control group (n = 15) and experimental group (n = 41) made their immediate decisions on pre and posttests of 10 video clips taken from real game referee perspective recordings. Over a six-week period the experimental group studied training tapes consisting of 5 sets of 5 tackles, in each case with an expert providing his interpretation of the correct decision. The lowest ranked referees on the national panel significantly improved their percentage of correct decisions, becoming 17.43% more accurate in their decisions at the posttest. These results suggest that such shared mental model training is an appropriate method for improving referee performance.
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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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Cross, Matt R., Matt Brughelli, Scott R. Brown, Pierre Samozino, Nicholas D. Gill, John B. Cronin, and Jean-Benoît Morin. "Mechanical Properties of Sprinting in Elite Rugby Union and Rugby League." International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance 10, no. 6 (September 2015): 695–702. http://dx.doi.org/10.1123/ijspp.2014-0151.
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Purpose: To compare mechanical properties of overground sprint running in elite rugby union and rugby league athletes. Methods: Thirty elite rugby code (15 rugby union and 15 rugby league) athletes participated in this cross-sectional analysis. Radar was used to measure maximal overground sprint performance over 20 or 30 m (forwards and backs, respectively). In addition to time at 2, 5, 10, 20, and 30 m, velocity-time signals were analyzed to derive external horizontal force–velocity relationships with a recently validated method. From this relationship, the maximal theoretical velocity, external relative and absolute horizontal force, horizontal power, and optimal horizontal force for peak power production were determined. Results: While differences in maximal velocity were unclear between codes, rugby union backs produced moderately faster split times, with the most substantial differences occurring at 2 and 5 m (ES 0.95 and 0.86, respectively). In addition, rugby union backs produced moderately larger relative horizontal force, optimal force, and peak power capabilities than rugby league backs (ES 0.73−0.77). Rugby union forwards had a higher absolute force (ES 0.77) despite having ~12% more body weight than rugby league forwards. Conclusions: In this elite sample, rugby union athletes typically displayed greater short-distance sprint performance, which may be linked to an ability to generate high levels of horizontal force and power. The acceleration characteristics presented in this study could be a result of the individual movement and positional demands of each code.
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Delaney, Jace A., Heidi R. Thornton, John F. Pryor, Andrew M. Stewart, Ben J. Dascombe, and Grant M. Duthie. "Peak Running Intensity of International Rugby: Implications for Training Prescription." International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance 12, no. 8 (September 2017): 1039–45. http://dx.doi.org/10.1123/ijspp.2016-0469.
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Purpose:To quantify the duration and position-specific peak running intensities of international rugby union for the prescription and monitoring of specific training methodologies.Methods:Global positioning systems (GPS) were used to assess the activity profile of 67 elite-level rugby union players from 2 nations across 33 international matches. A moving-average approach was used to identify the peak relative distance (m/min), average acceleration/deceleration (AveAcc; m/s2), and average metabolic power (Pmet) for a range of durations (1–10 min). Differences between positions and durations were described using a magnitude-based network.Results:Peak running intensity increased as the length of the moving average decreased. There were likely small to moderate increases in relative distance and AveAcc for outside backs, halfbacks, and loose forwards compared with the tight 5 group across all moving-average durations (effect size [ES] = 0.27–1.00). Pmet demands were at least likely greater for outside backs and halfbacks than for the tight 5 (ES = 0.86–0.99). Halfbacks demonstrated the greatest relative distance and Pmet outputs but were similar to outside backs and loose forwards in AveAcc demands.Conclusions:The current study has presented a framework to describe the peak running intensities achieved during international rugby competition by position, which are considerably higher than previously reported whole-period averages. These data provide further knowledge of the peak activity profiles of international rugby competition, and this information can be used to assist coaches and practitioners in adequately preparing athletes for the most demanding periods of play.
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Viviers, Pierre L., Jeandré T. Viljoen, and Wayne Derman. "A Review of a Decade of Rugby Union Injury Epidemiology: 2007-2017." Sports Health: A Multidisciplinary Approach 10, no. 3 (February 14, 2018): 223–27. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1941738118757178.
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Context: Rugby union is the most widely played team collision sport globally. As with other contact sports, there is substantial risk of injury. To date, the majority of studies on injury epidemiology have focused on elite male cohorts, which inherently prevents extrapolation of research findings to other groups within the player continuum. This review aims to describe emerging injury trends across the spectrum of various rugby union subpopulations and to highlight gaps that may influence future injury prevention tactics. Evidence Acquisition: Relevant articles published from 2007 to 2017 were obtained by searching MEDLINE, PubMed, and SPORT Discus. Studies on 15-a-side rugby union, implemented according to the 2007 consensus statement on injury definitions and data collection procedures for injuries in rugby union, were used. Study Design: Clinical review. Level of Evidence: Level 3. Results: Match injuries occur more frequently than training injuries. Injury rates increase consistently according to age and level of play. Severity of injury often is greater among lower levels of the game, and sex-specific differences relating to injury patterns and incidence rates exist. Conclusion: To date, a paucity of injury surveillance data exists for women and players of both sexes at all levels of community rugby union. Furthermore, the incidence of injuries and illnesses are poorly reported in epidemiological studies. Despite methodological differences, injury trends remain consistent throughout all levels of play.
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Black, Katherine, Chloe Hindle, Claire Gibson, Joanne Slater, Dane Baker, Phil Healey, Rebecca McLay-Cooke, Rachel Brown, and Brett Smith. "Energy Availability Amongst Elite Rugby Union Players During Pre-Season Training." Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise 49, no. 5S (May 2017): 13. http://dx.doi.org/10.1249/01.mss.0000516845.76148.e0.
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Jones, Thomas W., Andrew Smith, Lindsay S. Macnaughton, and Duncan N. French. "Strength and Conditioning and Concurrent Training Practices in Elite Rugby Union." Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research 30, no. 12 (December 2016): 3354–66. http://dx.doi.org/10.1519/jsc.0000000000001445.
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