Category: Strength and Conditioning
Rugby Science Update 14
A Coaching Session Framework to Facilitate Long-Term Athletic Development
The purpose of this article is to describe an evidence-based coaching session framework that can be applied in various coaching sessions. This framework is aimed to guide and optimise long-term athlete development across different youth ages, multiple sports, various development stages and considers the integration of both physical development and technical, tactical, and psychosocial development. Finally, it addresses how coaches can apply the framework. The coaching framework is based on RAMPAGE – Raise, Activate, Mobilize, Prepare, Activity, Games, Evaluate. Raise involves increasing the body temperature to prevent injuries and improve the athlete’s motor performance. This phase aims to enhance the locomotor skills and should include movement in all directions. Activate and Mobilize refers to the framework’s section involving dynamic movement. Dynamic movements facilitate physical preparation, reduce injury risks, and incorporate stability and mobility skills. The Prepare stage involves high-intensity movements (such as sprinting, jumping, or throwing) with maximal effort. This phase prepares athletes for high intensity movements in the session or, from a developmental perspective, harnesses specific physical capabilities. The Activity stage focuses on the coaching session’s main content. Games facilitate the development of technical, tactical, physical, and psychosocial aspects through activities such as small-sided games, adding in an element of fun to the coaching session. The Evaluate stage involves the cool-down process, providing an opportunity for ‘add-ons’ and flexibility. This phase encourages reflection on the coaching session, with the use of the rating of perceived challenge scale to monitor the technical and tactical aspects of their training. Additionally, the authors recommend focusing on communication, control, confidence, concentration, resilience, presence, self-awareness, and commitment for personal and psychosocial development.
This study is published in Strength and Conditioning Journal.
The aim of this study is to describe and analyse the locomotor movements of the players in the National Rugby League Women’s (NRLW) competition in Australia and New Zealand. A total of 117 players participated this study. All match (n = 12) and demographic data were collected from the NRLW website. The locomotor data were collected from the NRLW using Catapult OptimEyes S5 receivers. The data were collected from the 2018 and 2019 NRLW Holden Premiership seasons. Mean speed (m min−1), mean high-speed (>12 km h−1; m min−1), mean acceleration (m s−2) and points scored were the match variables used for analysis. The results showed that greater high speed running and lower mean acceleration was associated with more points scored, indicating that less accelerating and decelerating or faster speed of play was associated with more points being scored. Furthermore, other findings indicated that the difference in mean high-speed running between teams was associated with a higher points differential. For example, if a team completed 10% more high-speed running than their opposition, they were likely to score an average of 3.2 points more during a given match-half. In summary, this study suggests that high speed running should be considered a crucial characteristic in elite female rugby league conditioning programmes. Moreover, enhancing players’ high-speed running capacity may contribute to improved performance.
This study is published in Journal of Sports Sciences.
The purpose of this study is to describe the clinical presentation of players with a concussion during the Head Injury Assessment (HIA) 1, 2 and 3 process and to identify whether any sub-tests are associated with longer RTP time after a concussion. A total of 380 cases of match concussion from 3 seasons (2018–2021) of English club rugby were analysed. Players were identified with a possible concussion using either Criteria 1 signs during a match or during the 3-stage HIA process. Following the identification of a concussion, SCAT5 was used to diagnose the concussion and players then entered the 6-stage Gradual Return to Play protocol. Players were classified based on their time loss, with shorter RTP cased defined as RTP within 7 days of diagnosis and longer RTP cases as RTP in 8 or more days after diagnosis. Th study revealed that players who had been diagnosed with a concussion 12 months prior to their current concussion were 2.6 times more likely to be in the longer RTP cases. The severity of acute and sub-acute symptoms was identified as a predictor of slower RTP cases. Moreover, the study found that 31% of players with abnormal results in HIA3 (48 hours post diagnosis) were in the shorter RTP category, whereas the majority of players with symptom worsening during HIA3 were in the longer RTP cases. Interestingly, no cognitive or balance sub-test abnormalities or impairments are associated with longer return to play time. As a recommendation, authors suggest implementing a more conservative concussion management approach in sports.
This study is published in the Journal Sport and Health Sciences.
Rugby Science Update 13
The objective of this study was to describe the Head acceleration events (HAE) burden across various age groups, ranging from U13 to Senior Premier Club level, and the different playing positions during both matches and training. Data were gathered using Prevent Biometric instrumented mouthguards (iMG) throughout the 2023 community rugby season, involving 328 male rugby players in 48 matches and 113 training sessions across U13, U15, U19, and Senior Premier men levels. All iMGs were equipped with an embedding sensor, triaxial accelerometer and gyroscope to detect ‘on-tooth’ time, as well as linear and angular kinematics, respectively. Additionally, all rugby sessions were recorded. Despite similar rugby exposure time across age grades, the percentage of HAE exposure increased with higher age grade, reflecting elevated match intensity as players matured. Notably, 65% of HAEs occurred during matches for the Senior Premier level, with significantly smaller proportions during matches as age decreased. The study revealed a decline in HAE exposure during training with age. Furthermore, the relative risk of experiencing a high magnitude HAE was found to be is 1.36 times higher for U19 players compared to other levels. When analysing player positions, forwards exhibited a higher HAE exposure rate than backs, particularly in the tackle and ruck events, likely attributed to increased contact for forwards. Interestingly, at the U13 level, backs experienced more low-magnitude HAE during training sessions, presenting an opposite position incidence to Senior Premier players. Tackles accounted for 66–75% of HAE exposure in matches, emphasizing the authors recommendation for the importance of tackle and ruck technique training, particularly for higher grade players.
This study is published in Sports Medicine.
The purpose of this review is to discuss the current knowledge regarding the relationship between body composition (BC) and athletic performance across different ages and sports. Additionally, the review aims to survey the evolution of BC considerations in international sport over the last decade and provide best practice recommendations for BC considerations to prevent potential health and performance consequences. A review search was conducted on PubMed in August 2022 and December 2022, focusing on exploring the impact of athletes’ BC on performance outcomes. The review includes a total of 29 studies, with most of them involving well trained athletes in individual sports. To address the evolution of BC considerations over the last decade, an electronic questionnaire was developed and circulated via social media and email lists. The survey included 125 practitioners from 26 countries working within competitive sports. The findings of this review indicate limited evidence regarding the association between BC and competitive success. Notably, endurance athletes ten to benefit from leanness, and muscle mass is crucial across various sports. Overall, persistent training and experience are essential for talent development and performance success. The survey results highlight the necessity for a more holistic approach to using and reporting BC data over the past decade. Practitioners emphasize the need for awareness and education on how BC assessment affects both performance and health. The survey also highlights that methods have remained largely unchanged over the decades, with practitioners still comparing arbitrary sport-specific ideal BC. The authors emphasize the importance of approaching BC assessments and reporting BC data appropriately. They recommend assessing BC only when necessary and providing the necessary support for athletes to avoid potential health risks. To mitigate these risks, pre-screening should be conducted by the medical and performance team. Testing protocol should be chosen wisely, with a recommended frequency not exceeding 4-6 times a year. Additionally, BC assessment for athletes under the age of 18 is not recommended.
This study is published in British Journal of Sports Medicine.
The primary aim of this study was to investigate changes in player and referee behaviour following the implementation of the lowered (armpit) legal tackle height law variation intervention in amateur community rugby. Additionally, the study aimed to assess on-field referee sanctioning decisions for illegal high tackles. Building on a prior study which implemented the lowered (armpit) legal tackle height law intervention in the amateur community rugby, this research examined referee and player behaviour across three periods of the season. The study involved 42 teams participating in the university rugby club’s four-league, inter-residence competition with the inclusion of 16 referees from the South African Referees Academy. All matches were recorded and video footage from the mounted Go Pro on the referees was captured. Evaluation of on-field referee sanctioning was carried out by a professional South African Rugby Union (SARU) international-level referee, which assessed all videos coded as ‘high’ under the new law variation. The findings of the study revealed a positive on-field behaviour change in both players and referees following the new law variation. There was a significantly higher sanctioning rate by the referees in the middle period of the session, potentially contributing to a significant reduction in upright tackles in the last part of the season. Additionally, there was a fair agreement between the independent referee evaluation and the on-field sanctioning when reviewing the high tackles.
This study is published in the Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport.
Rugby Science Update 8
Professional male rugby union players’ perceived psychological recovery and physical regeneration during the off-season
The aim of this study was to explain the phenomenon of psychological recovery and physical regeneration of male professional rugby union players during the off-season. The study used a qualitative approach to gather the beliefs and experiences of players regarding their mental and physical health and well-being across the off-season period and identify the psychological and physical strategies adopted to recover and regenerate in preparation for the upcoming season. The study interviewed 34 male professional players, and found that the off-season is characterised by three phases that players undergo to preserve their mental and physical health and well-being to recover from the previous season and regenerate in preparation for the upcoming season. These include decompression from previous season, cognitive detachment from the rugby environment and preparation for preseason. Successful progression through all three phases appears to be influenced by variables including the work and life demands a player is encountering at the time, contextual factors such as their health status (ie, currently injured or ill), and their level of experience in the sport (eg, previous experiences of the off-season). The authors recommend players should receive sufficient time (5–6 weeks) in the off-season to progress through the phases of recovery and regeneration to prepare for the upcoming season, with consideration for the impact of work and life demands, contextual factors and experience levels. Also, education should be provided to all stakeholders regarding the importance of the off-season period for well-being (recovery and regeneration), together with strategies that can be used to enhance the quality of this process (ie, physically distancing from work environment to support cognitive detachment from rugby, engaging in development activities that nourish holistic identity and personal skill development). Clinicians should also support, where appropriate, player subgroups at risk of threats to well-being and welfare in the off-season period (long term or recently injured and younger professionals).
This is study is published in BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine and is open access.
Tackling sport-related concussion: effectiveness of lowering the maximum legal height of the tackle in amateur male rugby – a cross-sectional analytical study
The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of a tackle law variation that reduces the maximum legal tackle height from the line of the shoulder of the ball barrier, to the line of the armpit, on injury, head injury and sport-related concussion (SRC) incidence in amateur community rugby union. The study used a cross-sectional analytical design over the period 2018 (control) and 2019 (intervention) in a South African collegiate student rugby competition – which included 42 teams. Reducing the legal tackle height from the line of the shoulder to the armpit of the ball carrier in community amateur rugby showed a trend towards reducing injuries, head injuries and SRC, however, these injury trends were not statistically different.
This study is published in Injury Prevention and is open access.
Performance indicators associated with match outcome within the United Rugby Championship
This study had 3 aims i) identify performance indicators associated with match outcomes in the United Rugby Championship (URC), ii) compare efficacy of isolated data and data relative to opposition in predicting match outcome, and iii) investigate whether reduced performance indicator statistical models can reproduce predictive accuracy. The study analysed 27 performance indicators from 96 matches during the 2020-2021 URC season. Five key performances indicators differentiated between winning and losing in the URC – kicks from hand, metres made, clean breaks, turnovers conceded and scrum penalties. Kicking was highlighted as a key driver for match success, with the probability of winning higher for a team kicking more than their opposition. Also, team performance data are much more efficient at predicting match outcomes when expressed relative to the opposition’s performance.
This study is published in the Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport and is open access.
Scott, G. A., Bezodis, N., Waldron, M., Bennett, M., Church, S., Kilduff, L. P., & Brown, M. R. (2023). Performance indicators associated with match outcome within the United Rugby Championship. Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport, 26(1), 63-68.
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