Rugby Club Research Articles

The Specificity of Rugby Union Training Sessions in Preparation for Match Demands.

Investigations into the specificity of rugby union training practices in preparation for competitive demands have predominantly focused on physical and physiological demands. The evaluation of the contextual variance in perceptual strain or skill requirements between training and matches in rugby union is unclear, yet holistic understanding may assist to optimize training design. This study evaluated the specificity of physical, physiological, perceptual, and skill demands of training sessions compared with competitive match play in preprofessional, elite club rugby union. Global positioning system devices, video capture, heart rate, and session ratings of perceived exertion were used to assess movement patterns, skill completions, physiologic, and perceptual responses, respectively. Data were collected across a season (training sessions n = 29; matches n = 14). Participants (n = 32) were grouped in playing positions as: outside backs, centers, halves, loose forwards, lock forwards, and front row forwards. Greater total distance, low-intensity activity, maximal speed, and meters per minute were apparent in matches compared with training in all positions (P < .02; d > 0.90). Similarly, match heart rate and session ratings of perceived exertion responses were higher than those recorded in training (P < .05; d > 0.8). Key skill completions for forwards (ie, scrums, rucks, and lineouts) and backs (ie, kicks) were greater under match conditions than in training (P < .001; d > 1.50). Considerable disparities exist between the perceptual, physiological, and key skill demands of competitive matches versus training sessions in preprofessional rugby union players. Practitioners should consider the specificity of training tasks for preprofessional rugby players to ensure the best preparation for match demands.

An association between polymorphisms within the APOE gene and concussion aetiology in rugby union players

ObjectivesConcussion refers to changes in neurological function due to biomechanical forces transmitted to the head. The APOE ε4 allele is associated with brain injury severity. The objective was to determine if APOE gene variants are associated with concussion history and severity in rugby players. DesignIn total, 128 non-concussed controls and 160 previously concussed participants (all cases N=160; diagnosed N=139) were recruited from high school (junior, N=121), club (N=116) and professional rugby teams (N=51). MethodsParticipants were genotyped for rs405509 (G>T), rs429358 (T>C) and rs7412 (C>T) APOE variants. Statistical analyses were performed using the R environment. ResultsThe rs405509 TT genotype was over-represented in controls compared to all cases (P=0.043; control: 29%, all cases: 18%; odds ratio: 0.55, 95% confidence interval 0.31–0.98). The APOE-ε isoform frequencies were not significantly different between groups (P>0.05). Additionally, the inferred APOE (rs405509-ε2/ε3/ε4) T-ε3 haplotype was over-represented in controls (41%) compared to diagnosed (32%, P=0.042). The G-ε3 haplotype was under-represented in controls (36%) compared to all cases (44%, P=0.019) and diagnosed (44%, P=0.021). The TT genotype was significantly associated with rapid recovery (P=0.048, <1 week: 51%, N=70, ≥1 week: 36%, N=29; odds ratio: 0.55, 95% confidence interval 0.30–1.01). ConclusionsThese findings support the further elucidation of the APOE gene or closely-related genes in concussion aetiology. Although similar preliminary results were found when juniors were separately analysed, the under-powered sample size for junior subgroup requires future investigation in larger cohorts of junior-level athletes.

Pelvic and hip kinematics during single-leg drop-landing are altered in sports participants with long-standing groin pain: A cross-sectional study

ObjectivesThe aim of this study was to determine the differences in three-dimensional pelvic and hip kinematics during a single-leg drop-landing task in active sports participants with long-standing groin pain compared to healthy matched controls. DesignThis was a descriptive study incorporating a cross-sectional design. SettingThe study was conducted at the Unit for Human Movement Analysis, Stellenbosch University, South Africa. ParticipantsThe study sample was comprised of 20 male club level soccer, rugby, running and cycling participants between the ages of 18 and 55 years. Ten cases with long-standing groin pain and ten asymptomatic matched controls participated. Main outcome measuresThree-dimensional pelvic and hip kinematics were captured with an optical motion capture system during a single-leg drop-landing task. ResultsParticipants with groin pain landed with more downward lateral pelvic tilt (0.77°, p = 0.01, r = 0.35), hip abduction (2.05°, p < 0.001. r = 0.49), and hip external rotation (0.86°, p = 0.03, r = 0.29) at initial contact and more pelvic internal rotation (1.06°, p = 0.02, r = 0.30) at lowest vertical position than the healthy controls. ConclusionsSports participants with long-standing groin pain have altered pelvic and hip kinematics during single-leg drop-landing compared to healthy controls. The kinematic differences may contribute towards the persistent nature of groin pain, although these strategies may also be present as a result of the presence or the expectation of pain.

Different shaped ball, same financial problems? A holistic performance assessment of English Rugby Union (2006-2015)

PurposeRugby union’s late move to professionalism in 1995 has led to concerns about the financial development of the game. The purpose of this paper is to extend the knowledge base on professional team sports in the UK by analysing the financial and sporting performance of rugby union clubs.Design/methodology/approachData were obtained by dissecting the annual accounts of nine English Premiership rugby clubs between 2006 and 2015. Analysis was performed using the performance assessment model, which analyses both financial and sporting areas of performance and is devised through statistical analysis procedures to provide a holistic measure of overall performance for each club.FindingsThere is financial disparity amongst clubs that has widened over the period of the study. In terms of sporting performance, the data suggest that competition is more equal, something that is less evident in other UK professional team sports such as football and rugby league. Correlation analysis reveals that overall performance varies over time in cycles.Research limitations/implicationsThe study has implications for the clubs competing in the English Premiership and for the league organisers themselves, particularly with reference to regulatory procedures such as raising the salary cap and increased broadcasting deals.Originality/valueThe paper has demonstrated the importance of balancing multiple performance objectives in professional team sports and has expanded the academic discussion on the financial health of professional team sports in the UK, particularly with reference to the financial health of rugby union where research has historically been scarce.

Training Unloading During Winter Break Improves Fitness in Male Rugby Players

When athletes experience training distress, a break in training may facilitate recovery and improve performance. Conversely, when team training is interrupted, such as occurs during winter break in collegiate athletes, deconditioning may result. In the current study, physiological responses to exercise were made before and after an unstructured winter break in male collegiate rugby players. PURPOSE: The purpose of the study was to examine detraining effects that occurred when structured training was interrupted for four weeks. METHODS: Fourteen (n=14) male club rugby players underwent exercise testing to assess aerobic capacity (VO2 max), strength (maximal bench press and leg squat), speed (10 yd dash), power (vertical jump), and body composition (body weight and % body fat by underwater weighing). A subject orientation of the testing was performed for all tests, and the treatment data were collected just prior to, and after the winter school break. T-tests were performed on pre- and post-winter break values. RESULTS: There was no evidence of detraining after four weeks of unstructured training. No changes were observed in bench press strength (183 versus 188.6 lbs) or speed (1.69 versus 1.69 seconds) across the break. However, performance measures for aerobic capacity (45.45 versus 47.70 ml/kg/min), squat strength (269.6 versus 308.2 lbs) and vertical jump (22.52 versus 23.94 inches) all showed significant improvements following the break. Additionally, there were significant increases in body weight (176.96 versus 178.63 lbs) and percent fat (12.76 versus 15.27% fat). CONCLUSION: Four weeks of unstructured training over the winter school break appears to have provided a recovery period that allowed for increases in physiological function despite increases in body fat.

“I Am a lifer!” facilitating the transition into non-elite adult sport: A case study of rugby in Canada's largest city

ObjectiveSport participation shows an overall trend of decline with age (e.g., Statistics Canada, 2013), with the transition into adulthood often threatening athletes’ decision to continue in sports (e.g., Lim et al., 2011). This study explored the role of community sport clubs in facilitating sport participation throughout the youth to adult transition among non-elite athletes. DesignThis study was part of a larger project, which was guided by a case study design. MethodEight non-elite athletes (n = 5 males, n = 3 females) that had successfully transitioned from youth to adult community club rugby in Canada's largest city, engaged in semi-structured interviews. Data were analyzed through thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2006). ResultsClubs first played an important role prior to transition, by drawing youth to their clubs. Clubs then built a sense of loyalty, sport commitment, and identity throughout youths' transition into young adulthood; this was fostered by an appealing club philosophy and atmosphere, supportive team mates, and opportunities for senior-junior (adult-youth) mentorship. Clubs' strategies for athletes’ continued involvement into adulthood included gradual introduction to the senior (adult) level, a focus on skill development, fitness, and health, flexibility in programming, and providing opportunities for leadership roles. ConclusionsFindings are discussed through the lens of transition/adaptation models, as well as sport participation/development. Findings highlight practical implications for promoting long-term sport participation among non-elite athletes, and emphasize the importance of further research exploring the trajectories of non-elite athletes, as they successfully (or less successfully) transition into adult sport.

On modeling player fitness in training for team sports with application to professional rugby

It is increasingly important for professional sports teams to monitor player fitness in order to optimize performance. Models have been put forward linking fitness in training to performance in competition but rely on regular measurements of player fitness. As formal tests for measuring player fitness are typically time-consuming and inconvenient, measurements are taken infrequently. As such, it may be challenging to accurately predict performance in competition as player fitness is unknown. Alternatively, other data, such as how the players are feeling, may be measured more regularly. This data, however, may be biased as players may answer the questions differently and these differences may dominate the data. Linear mixed methods and support vector machines were used to estimate player fitness from available covariates at times when explicit measures of fitness were unavailable. Using data provided by a professional rugby club, a case study was used to illustrate the application and value of these models. Both models performed well with R2 values ranging from 60% to 85%, demonstrating that the models largely captured the biases introduced by individual players.

Executive function testing to assist identification of pitch-side concussion in elite rugby players

BackgroundCurrent methods for assessing concussion during rugby matches rely on rudimentary behavioural assessment, focusing on balance and gross motor function. Cognitive testing with the Sports Concussion Assessment Tool has recently been included, but there are a paucity of normative and baseline data for this test. This study examined the utility of the Trail Making Test (TMT), which is a neuropsychological test of executive function in two parts (TMT-A and TMT-B), to assist identification of cognitive impairments caused by impacts during rugby games. Methods27 elite male rugby league players contracted to a professional rugby club were recruited towards the end of the season. Each player was tested on three occasions within a 2 week period with both TMT-A and TMT-B for baseline assessment. Each player was additionally assessed after full contact training on 2 consecutive days and during preseason training. Individual baseline data were calculated from the best of the baseline assessments, and time differences were examined with ANOVA. FindingsNo instances of concussion occurred during data collection. For TMT-A there was no significant difference (F(3, 24)=2·88, I2=0·27) between baseline (mean 13·79 s [SD 5·32], 95% CI 9·34–18·23), post-training day 1 (11·38 [2·63], 9·18–13·58), post-training day 2 (11·16 [1·94], 9·55–12·79), and preseason (11·79 [2·64], 9·58–13·99). For TMT-B there was no significant difference between baseline (31·50 [5·37], 27·01–35·99), post-training day 1 (28·07 [8·82], 20·70–35·44), post-training day 2 (26·18 [6·16], 21·03–31·33), and preseason (26·98 [4·89], 22·89–31·07). InterpretationThese findings indicate that there were no significant differences in performance of these executive tasks from baseline to post-training (end of season and preseason). These data show stability of TMT-A and TMT-B data across a competitive rugby league season. Importantly, use of measures of variation such as CIs for these tasks can provide a metric for calculating minimally important clinical differences within cognition. FundingNone.

On being ‘head strong’: The pain zone and concussion in non-elite rugby union

In recent years there has been growing concern about concussion in sport in general and rugby union in particular. The qualitative study reported here draws on interviews ( n=20) with adult players in non-elite club rugby union in Ireland in order to explore the frames of reference within which they perceive, give meaning to and manage concussion. Within a sporting subculture which emphasizes lay sporting values – particularly the value of ‘playing hurt’ – and which reflects a functional view of injury, non-elite players tend to display an irreverent attitude towards concussion which encourages risky behaviours and underplays, ignores or denies the significance of concussion. We analogously describe these beliefs and actions as being ‘head strong’. The paper concludes by identifying the contextual contingencies which make the regulation of injuries in rugby union so difficult and by establishing some core principles of public health education campaigns that might be deployed to militate against the high incidence of concussive injury in future.

Isometric Mid-Thigh Pull Correlates With Strength, Sprint, and Agility Performance in Collegiate Rugby Union Players.

Wang, R, Hoffman, JR, Tanigawa, S, Miramonti, AA, La Monica, MB, Beyer, KS, Church, DD, Fukuda, DH, and Stout, JR. Isometric mid-thigh pull correlates with strength, sprint, and agility performance in collegiate rugby union players. J Strength Cond Res 30(11): 3051-3056, 2016-The purpose of this investigation was to examine the relationships between isometric mid-thigh pull (IMTP) force and strength, sprint, and agility performance in collegiate rugby union players. Fifteen members of a champion-level university's club rugby union team (mean ± SD: 20.67 ± 1.23 years, 1.78 ± 0.06 m, and 86.51 ± 14.18 kg) participated in this investigation. One repetition maximum (1RM) squat, IMTP, speed (40 m sprint), and agility (proagility test and T-test) were performed during 3 separate testing sessions. Rate of force development (RFD) and force output at 30, 50, 90, 100, 150, 200, and 250 milliseconds of IMTP, as well as the peak value were determined. Pearson product-moment correlation analysis was used to examine the relationships between these measures. Performance in the 1RM squat was significantly correlated to the RFD between 90 and 250 milliseconds from the start of contraction (r's ranging from 0.595 to 0.748), and peak force (r = 0.866, p ≤ 0.05). One repetition maximum squat was also correlated to force outputs between 90 and 250 milliseconds (r's ranging from 0.757 to 0.816, p ≤ 0.05). Sprint time over the first 5 m in the 40 m sprint was significantly (p ≤ 0.05) correlated with peak RFD (r = -0.539) and RFD between 30 and 50 milliseconds (r's = -0.570 and -0.527, respectively). Time for the proagility test was correlated with peak RFD (r = -0.523, p ≤ 0.05) and RFD between 30 and 100 milliseconds (r's ranging from -0.518 to -0.528, p's < 0.05). Results of this investigation indicate that IMTP variables are significantly associated with strength, agility, and sprint performance. Future studies should examine IMTP as a potential tool to monitor athletic performance during the daily training of rugby union players.

Concussions and Head Injuries in English Community Rugby Union Match Play

Background: Previous research has described general injury patterns in community-level rugby union, but specific information on time-loss head injuries has not been reported. Purpose: To establish the incidence and nature of significant time-loss head injuries in English community rugby match play, and to identify the injury risk for specific contact events. Study Design: Descriptive epidemiology study. Methods: Over 6 seasons, injury information was collected from 46 (2009-2010), 67 (2010-2011), 76 (2011-2012), 50 (2012-2013), 67 (2013-2014), and 58 (2014-2015) English community rugby clubs (Rugby Football Union levels 3-9) over a total of 175,940 hours of player match exposure. Club injury management staff reported information for all head injuries sustained during match play whereby the player was absent for 8 days or greater. Clubs were subdivided into semiprofessional (mean player age, 24.6 ± 4.7 years), amateur (24.9 ± 5.1 years), and recreational (25.6 ± 6.1 years) playing levels. Contact events from a sample of 30 matches filmed over seasons 2009-2010, 2010-2011, and 2011-2012 provided mean values for the frequency of contact events. Results: The overall incidence for time-loss head injuries was 2.43 injuries per 1000 player match hours, with a higher incidence for the amateur (2.78; 95% CI, 2.37-3.20) compared with recreational (2.20; 95% CI, 1.86-2.53) (P = .032) playing level but not different to the semiprofessional (2.31; 95% CI, 1.83-2.79) playing level. Concussion was the most common time-loss head injury, with 1.46 per 1000 player match hours. The tackle event was associated with 64% of all head injuries and 74% of all concussions. There was also a higher risk of injuries per tackle (0.33 per 1000 events; 95% CI, 0.30-0.37) compared with all other contact events. Conclusion: Concussion was the most common head injury diagnosis, although it is likely that this injury was underreported. Continuing education programs for medical staff and players are essential for the improved identification and management of these injuries. With the majority of head injuries occurring during a tackle, an improved technique in this contact event through coach and player education may be effective in reducing these injuries.

Developing rugby club leaders is a long game

Purpose Most grass-roots rugby clubs in England are small businesses, which are mostly led by volunteers. The Leadership Academy developed by the Rugby Football Union (RFU) has sought to improve the effectiveness of these leaders for the past ten years. The aim was to make clubs more effective and sustainable, so they could gain maximum benefit from public interest in rugby following the Rugby World Cup. The purpose of this paper is to document the evolution of this unique training programme with emphasis on three key improvements that were identified during this ten-year period: content progression, tutor development and mentor investment. Design/methodology/approach Every year since the Leadership Academy programme began in 2005, feedback has been sought from the candidates through written evaluations to identify improvements to the programme. These improvements are then implemented for the following season. A formal external programme evaluation has also been carried out, as well as observations from the RFU programme sponsor – RFU Club Management and Governance Manager. All of these inputs are analysed to assess the effectiveness of the Leadership Academy in developing community rugby club leaders. Findings The results showed that the continual improvement of the Leadership Academy enhanced the experience of the candidates who attended in subsequent years. Leaders gained strategic insights, built stronger local relationships, and improved confidence levels. Practical implications The implications of these findings are relevant for others who design and deliver training programmes. The use of reflection and a continuous improvement cycle should play a role in all long-term training programmes so that learning can be applied to continually enhance the programme for future candidates. Originality/value The findings from this paper provide useful input for any other organisations that has a volunteer workforce or sports governing bodies that want to implement a leadership programme over a number of years to improve the effectiveness of their current or future leaders.

Association of vitamin D with insulin resistance in Argentine boys: A pilot study

Hypovitaminosis D has been associated with insulin resistance. The objectives of the study was to the prevalence of hypovitaminosis D, and the association of vitamin D concentrations with age, Tanner stage, BMI and insulin sensitivity (HOMA-IR) in a group of healthy boys. Data were collected cross-sectionally at an amateur rugby club in the Buenos Aires suburbs in May, 2010. BMI, waist circumference, Tanner staging, blood pressure, and levels of glucose, lipids, and insulin were determined. 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] was measured by radioimmunoassay. One hundred and sixteen boys aged 11.3 ± 2.4 y were examined; 19 (16.4%) and 40 (34.5%) boys were overweight and obese, respectively, per United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 52.2% of the children were at Tanner 1. Serum concentration of [25(OH)D] had a median value of 20 ng/mL (interquartile range 18–21 ng/mL). Sixty (52.6%) boys had insufficient [25(OH)D] ([25(OH)D > 20 but ≤ 30 ng/mL), and 54 (46.6%) had deficient levels ([25(OH)D] r −0.20, P = 0.03), waist circumference ( r −0.23, P = 0.01), HOMA-IR ( r −0.25, P = 0.007), and insulin ( r −0.29, P = 0.002). Multiple regression analysis showed that [25(OH)D] concentration was significantly and inversely associated with HOMA-IR, ( B = −0.8; p = 0.02) adjusted for Tanner and BMI (R 2 = 0.35). This study demonstrated an inverse association between [25(OH)D] and HOMA-IR in healthy boys adjusted for pubertal development and BMI. It also showed a high prevalence of both [25(OH)D] deficiency and insufficiency. Further research is needed on the prospective association between vitamin D and the risk for type 2 diabetes.

Extending Symbolic Convergence Theory

This study addresses theoretical and contextual weaknesses of symbolic convergence theory (SCT) through a fantasy theme analysis of a life enrichment group (i.e., an all-female club rugby team). By using a variety of data sources, including group social media posts, participant observation, and interviews, the authors found two concurrent rhetorical visions present within this group: belong and triumph. These visions were created through member chaining of fantasy themes. In contrast with current assumptions of SCT, results indicated several tensions within concurrent fantasy themes and the two rhetorical visions. Theoretical and pragmatic implications for transferability and application of symbolic convergence and fantasy themes in other life enrichment groups are discussed.

Match injuries in amateur Rugby Union: a prospective cohort study - FICS Biennial Symposium Second Prize Research Award.

BackgroundThe majority of Rugby Union (rugby) players participate at the amateur level. Knowledge of player characteristics and injury risks is predominantly ascertained from studies on professional or junior athletes in rugby. The objectives of the current study are to: (1) describe the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and physical characteristics of a cohort of amateur rugby players; (2) describe the incidence, severity and mechanism of match injuries in amateur rugby, and; (3) explore factors associated with rates of match injury in this population.MethodsParticipants (n = 125) from one amateur men’s rugby club were followed in a one-season (2012) prospective cohort study. Match injury and match time exposure data were collected. A participant match exposure log was maintained. Baseline variables collected include: participant’s age, playing experience, position of play, the SF-36v2 health survey, height and weight. Injury incidence rates (IIRs) per 1000 match-hours exposure were calculated. Injury sub-groups were compared by calculating rate ratios of two IIRs. Poisson mixed-effects generalised linear modelling was used to explore relationships between IIRs and baseline predictors.ResultsA total of 129 injuries occurred during a combined period of 2465 match-hours of exposure. The overall IIR was 52.3 (43.7–62.2) /1000 match-hours exposure. Moderate-severe injuries (>1 week time-loss from play) comprised 36 % of all injuries. Tackling was the most common mechanism of injury, the head/face was the most common body region of injury and sprain/ligament injuries were the most common injury type. Fewer years of rugby participation, lower BMI and lower SF-36v2 mental component summary score were associated with higher IIR in amateur rugby. Age, player position i.e., backs versus forwards and SF-36v2 physical component summary score were not associated with injury incidence.ConclusionAmateur rugby players report similar HRQoL as the general population. We found amateur players had a higher rate of injury and lower injury severity than previous amateur studies, but location, type, and mechanism were similar. In this study pre-season HRQoL and BMI were weakly associated with higher injury rate when controlling for other factors; a finding that should be interpreted with caution and clarified with future research.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12998-016-0098-7) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

The relationship between anxiety and shoulder injuries among South African university and club rugby players

Objectives. This correlational study investigated the relationship between competitive anxiety and shoulder injuries in a sample of club rugby players (N=112) from two universities and three suburban clubs. Methods. The participants were asked to complete a biographical questionnaire and the Sport Competition Anxiety Test,1 while the injury history of the players for the 2012 season was obtained from the responsible health professions after consent was given. Group differences and a direct logistical regression were calculated to determine the relationship between injury and anxiety. Results. The results indicated that rugby players who contracted a shoulder injury in a 1-year season have significantly higher levels of anxiety than those players who did not. However, the effect size of the difference seems to be small. The anxiety levels of players with shoulder injuries were regarded as too high when competing. A logistical regression, including various factors, was able to predict injury fairly well, but anxiety seems to be the only variable that contributed significantly to the model. Conclusion. The results suggest that the contribution of anxiety to the occurrence of shoulder injuries in club and university rugby cannot be ignored. The high level of anxiety associated with players who suffered shoulder injuries has to be targeted with anxiety management skills as part of a player development and injury management programme.

Comparison of Injuries in American Collegiate Football and Club Rugby

Background: American football and rugby players are at substantial risk of injury because of the full-contact nature of these sports. Methodological differences between previous epidemiological studies hamper an accurate comparison of injury rates between American football and rugby. Purpose: To directly compare injury rates in American collegiate football and rugby, specified by location, type, mechanism, and severity of injury, as reported by licensed medical professionals. Study Design: Cohort study; Level of evidence, 2. Methods: Licensed medical professionals (athletic trainer or physician) associated with the football and rugby teams of a National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I university reported attendance and injury details over 3 autumn seasons. Injuries were categorized by the location, type, mechanism, and severity of injury, and the injury rate was calculated per 1000 athlete-exposures (AEs). Injury rate ratios (IRRs) were calculated to compare overall, game, and practice injury rates within and between sports. Results: The overall injury rate was 4.9/1000 AEs in football versus 15.2/1000 AEs in rugby: IRR = 3.1 (95% CI, 2.3-4.2). Game injury rates were higher than practice injury rates: IRR = 6.5 (95% CI, 4.5-9.3) in football and IRR = 5.1 (95% CI, 3.0-8.6) in rugby. Injury rates for the shoulder, wrist/hand, and lower leg and for sprains, fractures, and contusions in rugby were >4 times as high as those in football (all P ≤ 0.006). Concussion rates were 1.0/1000 AEs in football versus 2.5/1000 AEs in rugby. Most injuries occurred via direct player contact, especially during games. The rate of season-ending injuries (>3 months of time loss) was 0.8/1000 AEs in football versus 1.0/1000 AEs in rugby: IRR = 1.3 (95% CI, 0.4-3.4). Conclusion: Overall injury rates were substantially higher in collegiate rugby compared with football. Similarities between sports were observed in the most common injury types (sprains and concussions), locations (lower extremity and head), and mechanisms (direct player contact). Upper extremity injuries were more common in rugby, and the rate of season-ending injuries was similar between sports.

Event and club volunteer potential: the case of women’s rugby in England

Sports could not survive without volunteers as they are vital to the ‘playing of sport’. Volunteering in sports is typically associated with sports-club systems or sport events. The purpose of this study is to explore the potential of harnessing volunteer activity in different contexts, as a result of previous sports club volunteering experience and to establish what determines the decision to volunteer and to continue volunteering. This is important for government policy, given the current objectives to promote a ‘Big Society’ and reduce public expenditure. A total of 168 volunteers involved in women’s rugby in England completed a web-based survey. Factor analysis was employed to summarise volunteers’ satisfaction with their experience. The analysis yielded six reliable factors of volunteers’ satisfaction. Regression analysis was then applied to identify which aspects of satisfaction, which motivations, how much previous sports engagement and which socio-demographic characteristics had an impact on actual volunteering for the women’s rugby world cup, and future plans for volunteering in a rugby club at a rugby event, or at other sport events. Regression results provide statistical support for the transfer of volunteer efforts across activities. Thus, the UK government may meet its objectives to stimulate a Big Society and widen community engagement through sport volunteering, by acknowledging that social mobility varies between and within sports and is determined by the experiences, interests, motives and characteristics of both the individual volunteers and voluntary sport organisations.

Relative Age Effects in Welsh Age Grade Rugby Union

Relative age effect (RAE) refers to the immediate and long-term consequences of age difference within an age grouping. In sporting contexts, it has been widely shown that those born in the first quarter gain an advantage over those born in the last quarter of the year. Rugby Union has received scant attention in relation to RAE. The primary purpose of the present study was to examine the presence and prevalence of RAE in Welsh age grade Rugby Union. A further purpose was to consider how coaches' selection processes have the potential to contribute to the manifestation of RAE. A sequential multi-method research typology was adopted to gain a richer, more contextualized understanding of RAE. Results revealed that RAE was evident in all age groups of Welsh junior club rugby from ‘Under 7–19 yrs'. Odds ratios showed that the magnitude of the RAE increases with the three levels of performance (district, regional and national) above the club game. Further, the process of selection had characteristics that increased the risk of RAE occurring, especially a propensity to use physical characteristics as the primary selection criteria when selecting for representative teams. Also, coaches' overemphasis on game performance and winning appeared to determine that the older, potentially bigger, faster, stronger players are preferred over the younger less physically mature players.

日本の大学ラグビーにおける新人選手獲得に関する調査&lt;BR&gt;-早稲田大学ラグビー蹴球部を事例に-

日本の大学ラグビーにおける新人選手獲得に関する調査&lt;BR&gt;-早稲田大学ラグビー蹴球部を事例に-