Category: Injury Prevention
Rugby Science Update 20
By Lara Paul
The state of play for contact training and coaching in women’s rugby
The purpose of this study was to review the current literature on tackle training in contact rugby codes and highlight key messages for coaches and stakeholders as part of a transdisciplinary approach to improve science, safety and gender equity in women’s rugby. The review looked at female specific injury surveillance, prevention, coaches in women’s rugby and match demands. The current literature is sparse but acknowledges the gendered sociocultural and environmental conditions that have influenced women’s experiences of rugby contact and coaching. One cannot copy and paste what has been done from male literature and expect it to work for women’s rugby. Women’s rugby should be understood and coached in a context‐specific manner, considering the needs of the players, coaches and the training environment. Developing and encouraging coaches to execute safe and effective tackle technical actions has been highlighted a priority in women’s rugby. Researchers in all disciplines have been encouraged to work across all levels of women’s rugby, with coaches and athletes, to understand the whole system of women’s rugby. This allows for a holistic approach to developing women’s rugby further. This review also suggests that adapting and adopting progressive tackle skill training frameworks and gender‐responsive coaching practices can aid tackle skill learning.
This study is published in the European Journal of Sport Science – Open Access.
The aims of this study were two-fold: 1) to describe the Head Acceleration Events (HAEs) experienced by professional men’s rugby union players during contact events using statistical modelling techniques appropriate for instrumental mouthguard (iMG) data, and 2) to explore the differences between contact-event types and positional groups. This observational study was conducted during the 2023 Currie Cup and Super Rugby season. Custom Prevent Biometrics iMGs were provided to all players. Post-match data was downloaded from the iMGs to provide linear and angular kinematics. Video analysis data, provided by Opta, included ruck, ball carrier and tackle data. Accelerometer, gyroscope, and proximity sensor data were synchronized to video timestamps of contact events using Matlab. Each HAE was linked to a contact event if their timestamps occurred within 10 seconds of one another. The results from this study show that as the HAEmax magnitude increased, the probability of occurrence decreased. This results in a relatively small probability of higher HAEmax magnitudes in professional male rugby union players. Tackles and ball carries had a greater probability of HAEmax in higher magnitude ranges than rucks. However, the defensive ruck probability profile was closer to tackle and carry events than attacking rucks. The authors suggest that defensive rucks may warrant greater consideration within the injury prevention interventions. No clear differences were found between positions for any of the contact events. The occurrence of HAEmax was associated with roles players performed within contact events, not their actual playing position. These results of HAEmax occurrence can be used to guide and evaluate future HAE reduction strategies in professional rugby union players. Additionally, these results can guide practitioners in planning and player monitoring.
This study is published in Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports.
The purpose of this study to quantify changes in body composition, blood markers, energy requirements, strength, and aerobic capacity of women’s international rugby league players during the lead up to the 2022 Rugby League World Cup (RLWC). Twenty-four international women’s rugby league players participated in this study. Players were tested at three testing points: 1) December 2021, at the beginning of the 2022 Women’s Super League pre-season; 2) March 2022, at the end of the 2022 Women’s Super League pre-season; and 3) October 2022, following the completion of the 2022 Women’s Super League season and prior to the RLWC. Data collection included anthropometric measurements (height and body mass), body composition, resting metabolic rate (RMR), blood profiling, assessments of endurance capacity (VO2max) and isometric strength. This study observed increases in lean mass during the pre-season which aligned with the team’s training goals. Backs demonstrated improvements in VO2max across the three testing points. Interestingly, no significant changes were observed in fat mass, RMR, blood markers, or strength over time. Forwards has a greater body mass and body fat percentages compared to backs. The authors recommend the inclusion of iron profile monitoring in practical settings, especially during intensified training phases, as it can contribute to players’ overall health and performance. Although the iron profiles remained at similar levels across all testing points, it was below the recommended threshold.
This study is published in PLoS ONE.
Rugby Science Update 19
By Lara Paul
Assessing the feasibility of a neck‐strength training intervention in university women’s rugby
The purpose of this study was to pilot a neck strengthening intervention with a university women’s rugby team. Furthermore, the study aimed to understand participant’s perceptions of the training intervention. Fourteen British University rugby union players participated in the study. A fixed‐frame dynamometer was used to assess the multi‐directional isometric neck strength in the participants. They then followed a neck-strengthening program after baseline testing. After completing the programme, they underwent end‐of‐season testing again. The neck strengthening exercises were incorporated into bi‐weekly strength and conditioning sessions and were performed at the end of the session as a team. Following the intervention, semi-structured interviews were conducted to understand the players’ experiences of the testing sessions and intervention and to provide a space for feedback on the intervention. Ten players and two coaches participated in these interviews. Neck strengthening values increased by 9.2%–26.7%, depending on direction. Both players and coaches preferred completing the neck strengthening exercises at the start to the session and in a group. Improvement in educating players and coaches about neck strengthening exercises in needed. The study found that players reported a lack of awareness of neck strength training, and coaches believed that it can only assist in scrum performance. This was a pilot study and further research is required to draw conclusive results.
This study is published in the European Journal of Sport Science – Open Access.
Injury in Starting and Replacement Players from Five Professional Men’s Rugby Unions
The aims of this study were two-fold, 1) to determine if there was an association between the number of replacements and replacement minutes used by one team in a match and the number of injuries to the opposing team, and 2) to determine whether the incidence, severity, and mean of injuries were different between starting and replacement players in professional men’s rugby. Injury and exposure data were collected from men’s professional rugby teams in England, New Zealand, Australia, and South Africa for three seasons. Any replacement player with an exposure of 1 minute or longer was included as a replacement in the analysis. The study found that the use of replacements by one team did not impact the injuries sustained by the opposing team. Overall, injury incidence was similar in starting and replacement players. However, starting players had a higher injury incidence rate than replacement players in the third and fourth match quarters. This finding was attributable to the high injury rates in the starting forwards. Fatigue may be contributing to these injuries. The injury severity and burden were greater in replacements compared with starters. This study allows governing bodies to make evidence-based decisions regarding replacements and does not support any law changes about replacement in the game based on injury risk.
This study is published in Sports Medicine.
Changing gears: data-driven velocity zones to support monitoring and research in men’s rugby league
The aim of this study is twofold: 1) to apply a data-mining approach to league-wide data to identify absolute velocity zone thresholds for male rugby league players, and (2) to apply the respective velocity zones to league-wide data to examine the locomotor demands of individual playing positions within elite match-play. All match data were collected from NRL elite male rugby league players across one season. All players wore microtechnology devices. Following data collection, 10 Hz microtechnology data and match-play time-coded event statistics were analysed. After applying spectral clustering to the league-wide microtechnology dataset, the authors determined four absolute velocity zones ranging from <13.99 km·h−1 to >24.50 km·h−1. The four zones include low: 0–13.99 km·h−1; moderate: 14.00–20.99 km·h−1; high: 21.00– 24.49 km·h−1 and very-high: >24.50 km·h−1. Furthermore, they identified a high speed threshold of >21.00 km·h−1 which is 3.00 km·h−1 higher than the commonly used threshold of >18.00 km·h−1. These results will assist in preparing players for the demands of the game.
This study is published in Science and Medicine in Football.
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.
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