Senior Club-Level Rugby Union Player's Positional Movement Performance Using Individualized Velocity Thresholds and Accelerometer-Derived Impacts in Matches

Title
Senior Club-Level Rugby Union Player's Positional Movement Performance Using Individualized Velocity Thresholds and Accelerometer-Derived Impacts in Matches
Publication Date
2022
Author(s)
Takamori, Sohei
Hamlin, Michael J
Kieser, David C
King, Doug
Hume, Patria
( author )
OrcID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1960-8916
Email: ccummin5@une.edu.au
UNE Id une-id:ccummin5
Yamazaki, Tetsuya
Hachiya, Masashi
Olsen, Peter D
Type of document
Journal Article
Language
en
Entity Type
Publication
Publisher
Lippincott Williams & Wilkins
Place of publication
United States of America
DOI
10.1519/JSC.0000000000003523
UNE publication id
une:1959.11/63508
Abstract

Game demands of professional rugby union players have been well documented" however, there is minimal game demand information using individualized velocity thresholds and collision loads, particularly for amateurs. This study investigated movement patterns of 20 male amateur rugby players during 16 senior premier division one matches using global positioning system (GPS) devices sampling at 10 Hz. Derived GPS variables included distances, velocities, sprinting, and impacts. Data files from 86 player games ($60 minutes of play per game) were categorized into broad (forwards and backs) and specific (front row, second row, back row, half back, inside back, and outside back) positional groups for analysis. It was most likely that backs covered more distance in the high-speed running (.60% maximal velocity) zone (502 6 157 m) compared with forwards (238 6 147 m) (100/0/0%, chances of positive/trivial/negative differences, effect size [ES] 5 1.3), performed more striding (backs 1,116 6 240, forwards 954 6 240 m, 96/4/0%, ES 5 0.5), and sprinting (backs 121 6 58, forwards 90 6 65 m, 93/7/ 0%, ES 5 0.5). However, forwards had higher collision loads (35 6 12 arbitrary units) compared with backs (20 6 6, 99.9/0.1/0%, ES 5 1.3) with back row forwards completing the highest collision load of any playing position (40 6 13). Our example match movement performance and impact information is valuable to coaches and support staff in preparing player profiles for similar-level rugby players to help manage their workloads.

Link
Citation
Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 36(3), p. 710-716
ISSN
1533-4287
1064-8011
Start page
710
End page
716

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