Rugby Science Update 18
By Lara Paul
The aim of this study is to describe the knowledge, attitudes, and perceived tackle training practices of women’s rugby coaches in relation to tackle safety and performance using the Health Action Process Approach model. The study employed a pragmatic approach, integrating both quantitative and qualitative data. 357 coaches currently coaching senior women’s rugby filled out a survey consisting of 34 questions about tackle safety and performance. Coaches agreed that the risk and burden of tackle injuries are high. Unfortunately, some coaches acknowledged the lack of access to strength and conditioning and/or medical provisions. Coaches acquired their knowledge from informal and unstructured learning resources. 76% of coaches had never completed a tackle specific training course, and only 39% were aware of these courses. 76% of coaches felt confident about coaching tackler technique. Coaches expressed openness to implementing evidence-based and female-specific tackle training programmes. Some coaches mentioned the use of female specific technical, physical, psychological, and tactical adaptations during training. Barriers to effective tackle training included player training considerations, sociocultural factors, the training environment, and coach knowledge gaps. Coaches reported the time spent on controlled-contact and full-contact activities varied from 0 to 40+ min per week, averaging 10–20 min for both types of training. The authors suggested that these findings could inform female rugby coach education and implementation strategies to enhance the real-world effectiveness of tackle safety programmes in the context of women’s rugby.
This study is published in the International Journal of Sport Science and Coaching.
The aim of this review is to discusses female‐specific health considerations in injury and illness surveillance and to provide rugby specific recommendations for future surveillance. There were few studies reporting injury rates in women’s rugby. Prevention initiatives have focused on addressing injury risks identified from studies in the men’s game, rather than women’s games. Very few studies have focused and included illness reporting in their studies. The review highlights that even when a female athlete is considered ‘healthy’, there are female athlete health domains that may influence sports participation and or health outcomes. These health domains include pelvic floor health and stress urinary incontinence, breast health and breast injuries, female health domains and concussion and postpartum domain and associated health problems. A range of female specific considerations such as years of exposure, bra size, pelvic health, the menstrual cycle and pregnancy and postpartum conditions will ensure that injury and illness surveillance systems within women’s rugby fit for purpose and not simply a duplicate of systems used in men’s rugby. This approach may improve risk identification and better inform injury and illness prevention strategies.
This study is published in European Journal of Sport Science – Open Access.
Effects of tackle height and shoulder preference on head and trunk acceleration in rugby
The aim of this study was twofold; 1) to investigate the effects of tackle height and shoulder preference on head and trunk acceleration, and 2) to investigate the relationship between head and trunk acceleration during tackles. Thirty-nine senior and college rugby players participated in the study. Participants tackled an 80 kg tackle bag wearing nine-axial wireless accelerometers to measure head and trunk acceleration. They tackled on both their left and right sides at three different heights: high, middle, and low. Peak head acceleration was higher than peak trunk accelerations during the tackle. Additionally, peak trunk accelerations were delayed compared to peak head accelerations. High tackles exhibited higher peak head and trunk accelerations compared to the low tackles. Peak head acceleration was significantly lower during dominant shoulder tackles, while it was significantly higher during dominant shoulder tackles. The authors suggest that coaching strategies and policies should aim to reduce tackle height and improve tackle technique, specifically on the non-dominant shoulder, to help reduce head acceleration forces.
This study is published in International Journal of Sport Science and Coaching.
Rugby Science 
An interesting article exploring an array of factors contibuting to rugby tackles made by female rugby players
It would have been interesting and most valuable if we had known more about the visual skills of this research group.
Let me explain.Rugby is dynamic game with the ball and players consistently moving laterally ,diagonally, forwards and backwards.Decision making and anticipating when and where to tackle requires complex visual-cognitive processing. Vision leads motor. Some athletes are right sided dominant, meaning the right eye will perceive the visual information quicker and lead the right hand and foot and vice-versa.
Some athletes struggle with cross-dominancei.e., will find it easier to pass or cath the ball on one side of their body. Others skillls of great importance in the game of rugby are dynamic visual acuity or the ability to see a moving ball or opponent clearly, spatial awareness, depth preception , peripheral vision( usually very constricted shortly after prolonged screen time) contrast sensitivity( can a player perform the same under differentl lighting conditions ito ball handling skills and tackles)
When the visual system functions optimally, the brain is able process the visual imput more accurately and execute a better motor reponse.After all, intelligent play with a positive outcome and mimimized injury risk to players is what it’s all about.Coaches, start taking a hard look at how vision affects sporting performance.
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