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Purpose Methods Results Conclusion Level of Evidence To assess the effect of preoperative and surgical factors on return to play (RTP) rates and career longevity of professional rugby athletes after primary anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction (ACL‐R).A retrospective review of a consecutive cohort of professional rugby players undergoing primary ACL‐R by the senior author between 2005 and 2019 was undertaken. Athletes were included if they were under contract with a professional rugby team at the time of injury and had a minimum of 2‐year follow‐up. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to determine significant predictors of RTP rate, time and career longevity.One hundred and eighteen rugby players with 125 ACL‐Rs were identified. Return to professional rugby was achieved in 115/125 (92%) of cases at an average of 9.6 months and those athletes participated at the professional level for 5.9 ± 3.4 years after ACL‐R. Younger age (p = 0.006) and ACL‐R with a concomitant lateral extra‐articular tenodesis (LET) (p = 0.013) were predictors of a longer career. A Cox proportional hazards model that controlled for age revealed that athletes who underwent ACL‐R with an LET had increased career longevity compared to those with an ACL‐R without LET (hazard ratio = 2.74, p = 0.021). No factors were significantly associated with RTP rate or RTP time.In professional rugby players undergoing primary ACL‐R, those having ACL‐R with a concomitant LET and younger age predicted increased career longevity. Rugby players who underwent LET at the time of ACL‐R had an 18% greater chance of still playing professionally at 5 years compared to those who underwent ACL‐R alone.Level III. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Most specific rugby movements require an efficient stretch-shortening cycle (SSC). Reactive strength index (RSI) and leg stiffness have been considered a reliable measure of SSC capability and an indicator of ACL injury risk. The aim of this study was to assess and compare absolute leg stiffness (ALS) and RSI in amateur female rugby players from different countries. Methods: Players of three female rugby teams participated in the study: the female Czech team, the junior female Czech team, and the female university English team. Twenty repetitions of the submaximal bilateral hopping test were used for the calculation of ALS. RSI was obtained from 5 repetitions of the maximum hop test. Results: The values of the basic statistics were as follows: the female Czech team (median, mean ± SD): ALS, 25.3 kN·m-1, 25.4 ± 3.6 kN·m-1; RSI, 0.53, 0.60 ± 0.24; the junior female Czech team (median, mean ± SD): ALS, 22.7 kN·m-1, 23.1 ± 4.6 kN·m-1; RSI, 0.37, 0.42 ± 0.19, and the female university English team (median, mean ± SD): ALS, 22.7 kN·m-1, 24.0 ± 3.5 kN·m-1; RSI, 0.61, 0.59 ± 0.20. Only a between-group comparison of RSI of the female Czech team and the junior female Czech team (p = 0.04, r = 0.37, medium effect) showed significant differences. Conclusion: No significant differences between groups were found, except for Czech teams of different ages in RSI. The lower values of ALS and RSI compared to other studies can potentially be associated with a higher risk of ACL injury. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although graduates of elite Irish fee-paying schools are disproportionately represented in the Irish men's national rugby union team, Irish international games are among the most popular on Irish terrestrial television, signifying rugby's growth as a spectator sport in Ireland. This article examines the role of Irish print, broadcast media and related publications in popularising elite-level Irish rugby. Employing a principally Bourdieusian theoretical perspective it analyses how media representation obscures the significance of class background and elite schooling in facilitating players' individual and collective social advancement and material gain prior to, in and beyond rugby careers. One is by highlighting players' relatability and transcendence of class privilege as the antithesis of the popular Irish caricature of an arrogant, privately educated former schools rugby player, Ross O'Carroll Kelly. The second is the displacement of class, in media representations, onto narratives, and performances, of regional and stylistic variety that are contained within an all-encompassing, inclusive conceptualization of 'middle Ireland'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: in rugby, some muscle characteristics visible with ultrasound have been related to the risk of injury to the long head of the biceps femoris. However, scientific evidence is scarce. Objective: to evaluate the changes in the morphofunctional ultrasound characteristics of the long head of the biceps femoris in rugby players of a professional rugby team at the end of the season. Material and method: a prospective analytical observational study was carried out at the University of Alcalá, with 19 players belonging to the Rugby Division Honor B team. Three ultrasound measurements were taken, measuring muscle thickness, perimeter, cross-sectional area and penile angle using the free software Fiji/Image, contraction and relaxation speed with M-mode, and the strength of the quadriceps and hamstring with a dynamometer. Results: significant differences were evidenced in quadriceps and hamstring strength and relaxation speed, with large and medium and significant effect sizes. When comparing backs and forwards, a significant effect was found on quadriceps strength of both the playing position factor and the training factor. In hamstring strength there was only a significant effect of the training factor. Conclusions: the results obtained in this study reveal, on the one hand, the existence of statistically significant differences in the variables of muscle strength of the quadriceps and hamstrings and relaxation speed, as well as in the muscle strength of the quadriceps when comparing backs and forwards; and on the other hand, there could be a relationship between the variables of pennation angle and muscle strength with the reduction in the risk of injury, which could provide a boost towards new research in this field. Regarding inter- and intraobserver reliability, it was moderate to excellent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To examine the relationship between club rugby participation, collegiate experiences, and perceived gains, 25 rugby players and 25 non-athlete students completed the Student-Athlete Experiences Inventory-Revised, Student-Athlete Gains Inventory, and Perceived Stress Scale at the start and end of a semester. A RM-ANOVA and partial-η2 effect sizes determined if group and time differences were present. We selected variables associated with the post-scores for practical and liberal arts gains with the lasso method. Rugby players engaged in more diverse social interactions (partial-η2 = 0.091) and were more actively involved on campus (partial-η2 = 0.0914) than non-athlete students, but paradoxically had lower practical arts gains (p < 0.0001). All students reported increasing stress levels from start to end of the semester (partial-η2 = 0.109), which contributed to decreasing practical arts gains. Students need help with stress management near semester's end. Club rugby players should seek support services on campus to improve career preparedness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Featured Application: Different BIVA modalities create new opportunities to improve the study of body composition in athletes and their sport performance. Body composition (BC) determines strength, power, and agility in sports such as rugby. Not only is the study of morphology and BC essential to establish player positions, but it also allows the optimisation of competitive performance. The aim of this study was to analyse different BC models (anthropometry and bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA)) in a female rugby team. Their somatotype was also compared with a bioelectrical impedance vector analysis (BIVA) graph. A cross-sectional study was carried out on 19 women (8 forwards and 11 backs). Anthropometric and BIA (50 kHz, tetrapolar electrode configuration) measurements were taken using standard protocols and BC was estimated. Somatotype was calculated using the Heath–Carter method. Classic and specific BIVA were applied. Student's t, Mann–Whitney, or Chi-squared tests were used for variable comparisons. Agreement was determined via intraclass coefficient correlations. Forwards showed a higher BMI and fat mass, but there were no differences in skeletal muscle masses. Most of the players were of an endomorphic mesomorph somatotype. Specific BIVA, but not classic BIVA, detected BC differences according to player position. Moreover, an individual's interpretation of BIVA was consistent with their somatotype. In a female rugby team, BC and morphology are different according to position. This was detected in both the somatotype and specific BIVA. The application of BIVA (classic and specific) may yet prove to be a very useful strategy for the study of BC in sports. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Although physical and technical performance are both fundamental in rugby union teams, the association between these variables in sub-elite players is limited. This study investigated the association between the rate of success and unsuccess in technical skills throughout a season with physical quality variables in sub-elite rugby players. Methods: Twenty-five sub-elite rugby union players (age: 26.4 ± 3.8 years; body mass: 99.68 ± 14.34 kg; height: 1.81 ± 0.07 m) completed the following assessments: (i) broad jump; (ii) 10- and 30-meters sprint speed; (iii) 5-10-5 test; (iv) 1 RM of bench press, chin-up and squat and (v) Yo-Yo fitness test. The rate of success and unsuccess in tackles, attacking rucks and carries were measured during a season. Results: We found that: (i) higher success rates in carries were associated with faster speeds and greater broad jump distance; (ii) higher unsuccess rates in tackles were associated with lower 1 RM chin-up. When controlling for playing position, (iii) higher success rates in carries were associated with 30-meters speed and broad jump distance; (iv) higher success rates in tackles were associated with higher 1 RM chin-up; and (v) higher unsuccess rates in tackles were associated with lower 1 RM chin-up. Conclusions: Success and unsuccess rates in attacking rucks and success in carries were not associated with physical qualities. Therefore, training programs that improve speed, lower limb power and upper limb maximal strength should receive greater attention when seeking to achieve greater success in trying to break the opponent's defensive line and stop the ball carrier. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper assesses how a team of female rugby players understood experiences with serious head injuries. It also considers theoretical implications for the relationship between emergent and more complex gender ideologies and health. The study is based on focus group interviews following a game where eighteen players from a single team suffered a concussion or concussive event. It concludes gender transformations embodied by 'alternative femininities' performed via sport hold kernels for gender equity and wellness while simultaneously enabling certain problematic aspects of traditional hegemonic masculinity to remain and/or become normalized for both men and women. In some respects, this study reveals an informative model for all sportspeople – women and men – to follow. Nevertheless, there is reason to remain apprehensive, for the (re)gendering that seems to be taking place may, at the same time, be masking and thereby reinforcing norms that are detrimental to the long-term well-being of athletes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent decades, attention has increased on the relationship between visual skills and sport. However, there are few studies on this topic in Paralympic sports and, about the perception of the influence of the visual system on the sports performance of athletes. The aim of this study was to determine the perception of wheelchair rugby players about the influence of the visual system in sport. Fifteen athletes of the Bogota and Cundinamarca Paralympic rugby team were included, who underwent a semi-structured interview. Among the results analyzed, it was found that for the participants the visual system provides different benefits in their sports performance, since it offers general and specific information about the game, such as the location of the ball, the players and the rivals on the court. From his perspective, it allows the discrimination of distances and helps in the correct execution of motor actions. In conclusion, the players highlight the contribution of the visual system in the proper execution of rugby, thanks to the interpretation of the information they receive from the environment; they highlight the importance of physical abilities such as stamina, strength, and speed, as well as mental abilities, such as logic and concentration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study reports on the content and periodisation of the preseason field-based training for a professional rugby league team. Thirty professional male rugby league players (26 ± 5 years, 180.9 ± 6.5 cm, 94 ± 9 kg) completed an 8-week preseason. Global positioning system devices and heart rate were used to monitor physical and physiological responses of different field-based training components (speed, conditioning, rugby skill and game-based training). Rugby skill training contributed the most to the total distance covered, conditioning was the greatest contributor to high-speed running (>15 km/h) and game-based training provided the greatest high metabolic distance (>20 W/kg) and overall external load. Game-based training provided the greatest time with heart rate ≥80% estimated maximum. The weekly preseason cycle had lower loads on Monday and Thursday whereas Tuesday and Friday produced the highest loads. The preseason described herein adopted a progressive overload comprising a weekly undulating cycle. This study emphasises how skill and games-based training contributes significantly to the overall load of a professional rugby league team's preseason with more traditional conditioning promoting high-speed running load and high metabolic load. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many rugby league clubs rely on developing youth athletes into experts in adulthood. One factor that contributes to the attainment of expertise is the activities that athletes engage in across their development. Therefore, the developmental activities of professional male British rugby league players were compared to lesser-skilled players. Players who had progressed from youth academies to professional status, those who were released from youth academies, and those who had only played recreationally completed the Participation History Questionnaire. During childhood, professional players accumulated significantly greater amounts of play compared to ex-academy and recreational players, as well as greater coach-led practice compared to ex-academy. During early adolescence, this pattern continued, whereas in late adolescence the professional and ex-academy players accumulated significantly greater amounts of coach-led practice compared to their recreational counterparts. Professional players accumulated more hours in rugby league up to 18 years of age compared to ex-academy players, with both groups accumulating more hours than recreational. The number of other sports engaged in was relatively low across development and did not discriminate between performance levels. Findings from this study may inform future practice of talent development systems within rugby league in Britain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Pragmatic challenges remain in the monitoring and return to play (RTP) decisions following suspected Sports Related Concussion (SRC). Reliance on traditional approaches (pen and paper) means players readiness for RTP is often based on self-reported symptom recognition as a marker for full physiological recovery. Non-digital approaches also limit opportunity for robust data analysis which may hinder understanding of the interconnected nature and relationships in deficit recovery. Digital approaches may provide more objectivity to measure and monitor impairments in SRC. Crucially, there is dearth of protocols for SRC assessment and digital devices have yet to be tested concurrently (multimodal) in SRC rugby union assessment. Here we propose a multimodal protocol for digital assessment in SRC, which could be used to enhance traditional sports concussion assessment approaches. Methods: We aim to use a repeated measures observational study utilising a battery of multimodal assessment tools (symptom, cognitive, visual, motor). We aim to recruit 200 rugby players (male n≈100 and female n≈100) from University Rugby Union teams and local amateur rugby clubs in the North East of England. The multimodal battery assessment used in this study will compare metrics between digital methods and against traditional assessment. Conclusion: This paper outlines a protocol for a multimodal approach for the use of digital technologies to augment traditional approaches to SRC, which may better inform RTP in rugby union. Findings may shed light on new ways of working with digital tools in SRC. Multimodal approaches may enhance understanding of the interconnected nature of impairments and provide insightful, more objective assessment and RTP in SRC. Clinical trial registration: NCT04938570. https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/results?cond=NCT04938570&term=&cntry=&state=&city=&dist= [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Sports-related concussion (SRC) is a common injury mostly in contact sports. Specifically, it is a public health concern for collegiate rugby athletes because at least one concussion is reported in every two games and concussion has been reported to increase the risk of developing neuro-degenerative disorders later in life. Aim: To clinically audit concussions to examine commonly reported signs/symptoms in the Sports Concussion Assessment Tool (SCAT). Materials and methods: Retrospective audit of a South African University health services medical electronic records database for all concussion International Classification of Diseases 10 (ICD10) diagnoses codes: S06.0, S06.00 and S06.01 in 367 rugby players (age 24.6 ± 4.3, height 1.8 ± 0.1 and weight; 90.7 ± 14.4) for the period 2013–2018. Results: SCAT data was obtained for 70% of the 434 concussions. Headache (57%), "pressure in head" (56%), feeling slowed down (55%) and fatigue/low energy (54%) were the most frequently reported concussion symptoms on the SCAT. A significant reduction in the serial SCAT symptom (p < 0.001) and severity (p < 0.001) scores was observed in a sub-set of the rugby players. The concussion incidence proportion was 7%; this was obtained from an annual estimate of the University rugby club's registered players and concussion count (n = 87) during the five-year period. Discussion and conclusions: The initial SCAT sub-domain scores following a SRC in this collegiate cohort were consistent with other elite adult male sport cohorts in endorsing many symptoms and showing low-concentration scores. A unique feature of this study was the tracking of serial symptoms in a sub-set of this cohort. These players showed a clear reduction in symptom endorsement, but were still not symptom-free by their third SCAT. The collegiate student population should be educated regarding symptoms, including headache, which might be indicative of concussion following a head injury. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Problem-based learning along with other game and player-centred approaches have been promoted as valuable alternatives to more traditional, skill-based, directive, and leader-centric pedagogical approaches. However, as research has shown, they are not unproblematic or straightforward to apply. Heeding to calls for more empirical studies of game-centred approaches in coaching contexts, this study explored the impact of a unique problem-based learning (PBL) informed academy-wide coaching approach to athlete learning and development known as Beat the Game within a top-level rugby union professional club. Drawing on Michel Foucault's ([1977]. Discipline and punish: The birth of the prison. Vintage) disciplinary framework, we specifically sought to critically examine whether, to what extent, and how a PBL informed academy-wide coaching approach challenges the dominant disciplinary logic of elite sport. Our data, based on observations and semi-structured interviews with three academy coaches and sixteen junior and senior academy players, showed a definitive loosening of disciplinary aspects in both training and game environments accompanied by a shift towards a less leader-centric, linear, and hierarchical understanding of leadership and decision-making. Despite these promising shifts, the application of a PBL-informed coaching approach within this elite development context also presented many challenges, not the least of which resulted from the non-alignment of academy and first team coaching approaches. Our analysis, therefore, indicated the need for more research which focuses on the short-term and long-term impact that such disconnects have on continued progression, performance, physical and mental wellbeing, and job satisfaction and longevity especially given the growing popularity of non-linear pedagogies in youth sporting contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rugby is a game in which the rules are regularly evaluated and changed to make the game more attractive, safer, and faster for spectators. This affects the requirements of the game and the profile depending on the position of the game. Objective. The purpose of this work is to analyze and prove that in the game of rugby 7 there are no major differences between the two compartments depending on the motor capacity. Material and method. In the present work, 14 players were investigated, performance sportswomen from the rugby team in 7 women's C.S. Politehnica Iasi. The tests applied were: speed over the distance of 10 m and 50 m, CMJ, agility test 505 and VamEval. The statistical analysis was done using the SPSS Statistics 23 program. Results. The results of the tests proved that the physical profile of the athletes is homogeneous, there are no significant differences between the compartments. Conclusions. The results of this study show that a good athlete is a good rugby player in seven. Polyvalence is an advantage of rugby players in 7 because it gives them the opportunity to quickly move from the position of forward to that of a player of backwards and vice versa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research explores the lived experiences of 10 retired Pasifika (Pacific Islander and Māori) rugby league players who migrated to Australia after 1969. The careers of these Pacific Islander and Māori rugby league players were shaped by their migration experience, hopes for upward socio-economic mobility, the influence of familial motivations and journeys of personal growth amidst challenges and obstacles surrounding Pasifika cultural identity. In responding to leading Pacific scholar Epeli Hau'ofa's call for greater 'Pacific empowerment' both economically and geographically, this paper asserts that there is much to be (re)learned about Australian rugby league history by giving primacy to the voices of Pasifika pioneers. This research aims to help empower past, and to a lesser extent, rethink present, Pasifika voices in sport-related labour migration, and sport career experiences in rugby league. Mapping their experiences through Pasifika methodology, 'talanoa' (to converse or exchange ideas) and through the lens of a 'cultural insider', also allows better understanding of the cultural contexts of Pasifika players, their communities and their clubs. The findings from this paper are intended to fill the gap created by absent and much needed Pasifika sporting voices and perspectives in Australian sporting histories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study intended to obtain the average somatotype for each rugby position in all active players from the state of Nuevo León, Mexico. This was a state of the art study of Mexican rugby players, having no record of previous research, and to make talent scouting and the development of performance analysis easier. Materials and methods: All of the registered and active rugby players from Nuevo León were measured through anthropometry with the method described by Heath-Carter, obtaining the necessary data to determine the somatotype. Body mass, skinfold sum, and height were quantified by direct methods, and body fat mass percentage was quantified by indirect methods. Results: A total of 56 rugby players took part in the study, with an age of 21.7 ± 4.7 years. The average somatotype of the whole study group was 3.9 - 6.1 - 1.1, corresponding to endomorphy, mesomorphy, and ectomorphy, respectively, and matching with a mesomorphic and endomorphic profile except for one single subgroup, which matched with a mesomorphic and ectomorphic profile. Conclusion: There was not an evident difference between the somatotypes obtained for every subgroup, which were compared with similar studies made in rugby playing countries. The difference was more evident between position somatotypes. These variations between positions reflect the higher level of athletic specialization required for performance. The lack of variation between rugby position somatotypes reflects the low athletic level of Northeastern Mexican rugby. It is necessary for future research to enlarge the study and get an adequate sample size of the average Mexican rugby position somatotype. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sprinting is a key action in team sports such as Rugby Sevens, a new Olympic sport. Recent research has shown at length the importance of technical or mechanical proficiency for sprinting performance. Simple methods of profiling mechanical characteristics of athletes have been developed utilizing three sprints reaching maximal velocities and demonstrated in a number of elite cohorts. These methods were applied with 16 athletes (age = 23 ± 7 years; height = 1.73 ± 0.82 m; body mass = 69.9 ± 7.2 kg) from the New Zealand Women's Rugby Sevens team. Mechanical proficiency in the form of horizontal-to-vertical force application ratio (RF) showed strong Pearson's correlations (r=-0.60 p=0.001, r=-0.61 p=0.002) between 10 m and 40 m sprinting performances, respectively. Further r values (r=>-0.71) were observed for relationships between peak relative horizontal power expression and sprinting performances. This study expands, via a newly observed population, the body of knowledge contending the relationship between mechanical proficiency and sprinting performance and supports the usage of profiling methods to individualizing training for speed and power. Profiling can identify among a cohort whom is "force dominant" and "velocity dominant" as well as simply which athletes are more and less proficient at applying forces efficiently to propel themselves in sprinting actions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this review is to summarize the research that has examined the match demands of elite-level, men's rugby sevens, and provide enhanced understanding of the elements contributing to successful physical and technical performance. Forty-one studies were sourced from the electronic database of PubMed, Google Scholar and SPORTDiscus. From these, twelve original investigations were included in this review. Positive match outcomes are the result of an interplay of successful physical, technical, and tactical performances. The physical performance of players (activity profile measurement from GPS) includes high relative total distance and high-speed distance values in comparison to other team sports. The technical performance of players (skill involvement measurement from match statistics) involves the execution of a range of specific offensive and defensive skills to score points or prevent the opponent from scoring. The factors influencing change in these performance constructs has not been investigated in rugby sevens. There is a paucity in the literature surrounding the situational and individual factors affecting physical and skill performance in elite rugby sevens competition. Future studies should investigate the factors likely to have the strongest influence on player performance in rugby sevens. This should include larger sample sizes and account for repeated measures within players. This will allow coaches and scientists to improve their interpretation of activity and skill profile data, and make more informed decisions on players' athletic preparation program. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]