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The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between matchday wellness status and a technical–tactical performance construct during rugby match-play. One hundred and thirty-three male rugby union players (73 forwards and 60 backs) from five under-18 national squads who participated in the under-18 Six Nations competition completed a subjective wellness questionnaire on each matchday morning. Players subjectively rated each item (sleep quality, fatigue, muscle soreness, stress and mood) on a five-point Likert scale to calculate their daily wellness status (i.e. difference between matchday and baseline perceived wellness). Technical–tactical performance during match-play was quantified by coding individual key performance indicators (e.g. number of carries, number of tackles). Partial least squares correlation analysis (PLSCA) was employed to compute the latent variables of perceived wellness status (X matrix) and technical–tactical performance (Y matrix) for each player observation (n = 271). The latent variables are a construct of each variable group, enabling higher dimensional data to be visualised more simply. Linear mixed-effect models were later conducted to assess the relationships between the latent variables. The effect of perceived wellness status on technical–tactical performance was statistically significant in forwards (p =.042), not statistically significant in backs (p =.120) and accounted for 4.9% and 1.9% variance in the technical–tactical performance construct, respectively. The findings of this study suggest that perceived wellness status can influence technical–tactical match performance, but the practical significance of these findings should be interpreted with caution given the amount of variance in technical–tactical performance accounted by the models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to investigate the neuromuscular and perceptual fatigue responses of elite rugby players during the inaugural Under-18 (U18) Six Nations Festival. One hundred and thirty-three male players from five national squads (73 forwards, 60 backs) were examined during the competition. Each national squad was involved in three matches separated by 96 h each. Over the competition, players completed a daily questionnaire to monitor perceived well-being (WB) and performed daily countermovement jumps (CMJ) to assess neuromuscular function (NMF). Reductions in WB were substantial 24 h after the first and second match in forwards (d=0.77±0.21, p<0.0001; d=0.84±0.22, p< 0.001) and backs (d=0.89±0.22, p <0.0001; d=0.58±0.23, p<0.0001) but reached complete recovery in time for the subsequent match. Reductions in CMJ height were substantial 24 h after the first and second match for forwards (d=0.31±0.15, p=0.001; d=0.25±0.17, p=0.0205) and backs (d=0.40±0.17, p=0.0001; d=0.28±0.17, p=0.0062) and recovered at 48 h after match-play. Average WB and CMJ height attained complete recovery within matchday cycles in the investigated international competition. The findings of this study can be useful for practitioners and governing bodies involved with fixture scheduling and training prescription during competitive periods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To examine the effects of international competition on sleep patterns of elite youth team-sport athletes from two national squads compared to a baseline period. Methods: Fifty elite male youth rugby players from two squads were assessed two weeks before (HOME) and throughout two match-day cycles (matchday−1, matchday, matchday+1) of an international competition (COMP). Players were selected to represent their nation during the Six Nations Festival and completed daily self-reported sleep diaries before and during a competitive period. Linear mixed models were used to examine differences between HOME and COMP, and within camp days. Effect sizes±90% confidence intervals (ES±90%CI) were calculated to quantify the magnitude of pairwise differences. Results: Participants spent more time in bed (34.6±13.9 min; ES=0.26±0.19), slept for longer (35.4±12.7 min; ES=0.30±0.19), and woke up later (36.5±9.5 min; ES=0.41±0.20) in COMP compared to HOME, but maintained their regular bedtime (−1.8±11.2 min; ES=0.02±0.19), sleep onset latency (4.1±3.2 min; ES=0.17±0.25) and rating of sleep quality (0.30±0.17; ES=0.17±0.19). Conclusions: Elite youth team-sport athletes sleep for longer during a competition camp compared to home resulting from a delay in wake-up times. This highlights the opportunity for implementing interventions to improve sleep patterns in international-level team sport athletes in their daily environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To quantify and compare the maximum running intensities during rugby union match-play. Running intensity was quantified using micro-technology devices (S5 Optimeye, Catapult) from 202 players during 24 matches (472 observations). Instantaneous speed was used to calculate relative distance (m·min−1) using a 0.1 s rolling mean for different time durations (15 and 30 s and 1, 2, 2.5, 3, 4, 5, and 10 min). Data were analysed using a linear mixed-model and assessed with magnitude-based inferences and effect sizes (ES). Running intensity for consecutive durations (e.g., 15 s vs. 30 s, 30 s vs. 1 min, etc.) decreased as time increased (ES = 0.48-2.80). Running intensity was lower in forwards than backs during all durations (−0.74 ±0.21 to −1.19 ±0.21). Running intensity for the second row and back row positions was greater than the front row players at all durations (−0.58 ±0.38 to −1.18 ±0.29). Running intensity for scrum halves was greater (0.46 ±0.43 to 0.86 ±0.39) than inside and outside backs for all durations besides 15 and 30 s. Front rowers and scrum halves were markedly different from other sub-positional groups and should be conditioned appropriately. Coaches working in academy rugby can use this information to appropriately overload the intensity of running, specific to time durations and positions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]