Rugby Team Research Articles

Police Realistic Tactical Training Is Not Risk-Free: Stress-Induced Wide-QRS Paroxysmal Tachyarrhythmia in a Healthy Police Officer and Professional Athlete

The reported case, a spin-off of a wider ongoing national study investigating the individual stress reactions of police officers during realistic police tactical training, highlights the eventuality that stress-induced paroxysmal arrhythmias might occur and remain undetected without ECG monitoring as a standard practice. The ECG of a 41-year-old frontline police officer (and professional athlete of the State Police’s rugby team) was monitored with a wireless, textile-based, wearable device during stressful scenarios implying the use of force. ECG data were processed with the Kubios software to assess training-induced time-varying changes of heart rate variability parameters and of the parasympathetic, sympathetic, and stress indices. Multiparametric analysis of the heart rate variability quantified remarkable stress-induced increment of vagal withdrawal and of sympathetic dominance, with exceptionally high-stress index and sudden occurrence of a wide-QRS paroxysmal tachyarrhythmia (240 bpm) with concomitant operational failure. Subsequent exhaustive mandatory clinical assessment excluded any structural and arrhythmogenic cardiac abnormality. Although exceptional and to the best of our knowledge so far unique, the recording of a stress-induced paroxysmal wide-QRS arrhythmia occurring during realistic tactical training in a healthy police officer and highly fit athlete is worth to be shared as a caveat about the potential risk if eventually occurring in officers with unknown cardiovascular risk factors (e.g., for ischemic heart disease). Moreover, the demonstration that such a high level of stress may occur even in an experienced, healthy, and highly fit officer altering the physiologic dynamicity of brain–heart interaction with a negative consequence on the operational outcome strongly suggests that individual emotional reactions induced by stressful duty events must be safely experienced and assessed with realistic training, to adopt preventive coping strategies, to improve police officers’ efficiency in front of threats, and to lower the risk of inappropriate use of force with dramatic consequences on the street.

Breaking barriers: a psychobiography of Siya Kolisi from a sociocultural perspective

Siyamthanda (Siya) Kolisi OIG (1992-) is the first black captain of the South African rugby team (Springboks) in its 128 years of existence. The Springboks have long been associated with Afrikaner people and a history of racism. Siya had to navigate a tumultuous upbringing in an environment characterised by various issues such as socioeconomic inequalities, high unemployment among Black people, and lack of resources. Siya was purposively selected for this study as he has become one of the most influential individuals in South Africa. Publicly available biographical data was gathered, analysed, and interpreted using the Phenomenological Variant of Ecological Systems Theory (PVEST; Spencer, 2006). I used the theoretical lens to understand the role of social and cultural context, meaning-making processes in human development, and the transition between different worlds. The findings indicated a need to consider the role of context as a source of consonance or dissonance in human development. The study also sheds light on the importance of viewing marginalised individuals holistically to facilitate smooth boundary transitions. Furthermore, it underscores the importance of recognising that maladaptive and adaptive coping strategies exist on a continuum. The study contributes towards non-WEIRD psychobiographical studies and understanding culture’s role on human development.

Variables associated with the performance of a male European professional rugby team. Analysis of the regular season

The main objective of this study was to identify the relationship between performance parameters and the probability that a team will win or lose during regular season games. A retrospective observational study of a professional rugby team with thirty players and sixteen regular season games was conducted. Analyzes included the following metrics: open play carries, winline success, gainline failure, good pass, average pass, bad pass, good kick, average kick, bad kick, effective ruck, ruck ineffective, dominant tackle, neutral tackle, passive tackle, assisted tackle, missed tackle, defender in position, good offload, kick fielded, kick fielded unsuccessful, loose ball, interception, turnover made, line break, yellow card , red card, penalty awarded, try scored, injury, player out, player on, successful kick at goal, missed kick at goal, lineout, lineout won, scrum, scrum won, return to play, ruck speed and tackle completion. No single parameter could be directly related to profit or loss. However, four parameters when pooled could be associated with winning during the analyzed season (r = 0.897, r2 = 0.805, adjusted r = 0.635, p < 0.05): win-line success (p < 0.002), effective ruck (p<0.009), dominant tackle (p<0.018) and assisted tackle (p<0.029). In this specific context, coaches and professionals should pay more attention to these specific actions to improve team performance. Keywords: performance, breakdown, gain, ruck, tackle

Kieran File, How language shapes relationships in professional sports teams: Power and solidarity dynamics in a New Zealand rugby team. London: Bloomsbury, 2023. Pp. 239. Hb. £67.

Kieran File, How language shapes relationships in professional sports teams: Power and solidarity dynamics in a New Zealand rugby team. London: Bloomsbury, 2023. Pp. 239. Hb. £67.

Bioelectrical Impedance Vector Analysis (BIVA) and Somatotype in Female Rugby Players

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.

A PERFORMANCE OF THE MALAYSIA RUGBY SEVENS TEAM BASED ON SELECTED PERFORMANCE INDICATORS ON A VARIOUS ASIA-LEVEL RUGBY SEVENS TOURNAMENT FROM 2018 - 2020.

Identification of performance indicators related to the status of the game (winning and losing) is needed for a tactical approach especially in improving the Malaysia Men’s Rugby Seven team. This study aims to characterize team performance indicators based on the game status of Malaysia men’s rugby sevens teams. A total of 16 matches (winning, n=8, losing, n=8) for the national team from various Asia-level tournaments from years 2018 to 2020 were collected using Sportscode performance analysis software and a notational analysis form. The performance indicators variables are extracted from the excel spreadsheet using the visual basic application of Microsoft excel before being exported to SPSS version 26 with the significant value is set at p<0.05. Based on the analysis, there is no significant difference in the winning performance and losing performance of the Malaysia Men’s Rugby Sevens Team. The finding from this research can be utilized by the coaches and practitioners in improving the rugby sevens team performance.

Flashpoint: How a Little-Known Sporting Event Fueled America's Anti-Apartheid Movement

Sports, race, and politics are deeply intertwined—just ask Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Naomi Osaka, or Colin Kaepernick. Derek Charles Catsam, an accomplished historian of race, social movements, and sports in South Africa, the United States, and globally, has authored an easy-to-read, fascinating, if perhaps misnamed, book. The book's subtitle contends the 1981 U.S. tour of the legendary South African rugby team, nicknamed the Springboks, “fueled America's anti-apartheid movement.” More accurately, the book focuses on the sociopolitical roles of rugby in South Africa and the world, including how antiapartheid activists targeted the sport because of its importance to white South Africans, particularly Afrikaners. Following a preface celebrating the first Black Springboks captain, only appointed in 2018, a strong introduction outlines the Springboks' U.S. tour, U.S. foreign policy toward apartheid South Africa and how Ronald Reagan's election changed the equation, America's nascent antiapartheid movement, sports boycotts in the global struggle against apartheid, white South Africa's fierce resistance to change, and the role of race in American sports. Subsequent chapters cover planning for the Springboks' U.S. tour, an Irish rugby tour to South Africa in 1981, the Springboks' 1981 New Zealand tour—which saw massive protests that rocked the nation—and the book culminates with several chapters on the Springboks' U.S. tour, with matches in Racine, Wisconsin, Albany, and tiny Glenville, New York. The U.S.-focused chapters present a blow-by-blow account of the planning of the events as well as the protests. The “Boks” destroyed every American team and, since rugby was an incredibly obscure sport in the United States, these matches drew only a handful of fans. For those interested in a film on antiapartheid protests of the Springboks, Connie Field's documentary series, Have You Heard from Johannesburg (2010), includes a wonderful episode, “Fair Play,” on Springbok tours to Australia, England, and New Zealand.

An exploratory study into the relationship between playing at home or away and concussion

ABSTRACT Primary Objective To investigate the effect of home and away game travel on risk of concussion across different levels of rugby union. Research Design Exploration study across school, university, and professional rugby teams. Methods and Procedures Retrospective analysis of concussion incidence and symptomology of surveillance data and prospective data collection for potential concussions via surveys. Data was collected from school rugby teams (n = 344 matches, over 2 years), a university rugby (n = 6 matches), and a professional rugby team (n = 64 matches, over two seasons). Main Outcomes and Results School level rugby had an increased prevalence of concussions in away matches (p = 0.02). Likewise, there was a significant increase (p < 0.05) in concussions at away matches in university rugby. In addition, the professional rug by team had significant differences in recovery times and symptoms with away fixtures, including longer recovery times (p < 0.01), more initial symptoms (p < 0.01), as well as greater and more severe symptoms at 48 hours (p < 0.05). Conclusions This research highlights an increased prevalence of concussion in school and university-aged rugby players away from home, as well as increased symptoms, symptom severity, and recovery times in professional rugby players.

Effectiveness of an educational intervention targeting homophobic language use by young male athletes: a cluster randomised controlled trial

ObjectiveHomophobic language is common in male sport and associated with negative physical and mental health outcomes for all sport participants, but particularly for gay or bisexual youth populations. Evidence-based interventions...

Swearing as a Leadership Tool

Abstract Although swearing is often perceived as intrinsically offensive language, it is how swearing use is indexed against a person’s understanding of local social norms that constructs swearing as offensive. This paper presents an analysis of swearing within a social context where high frequency swearing is a norm: a male rugby team in New Zealand. Drawing upon a dataset collected from ethnographically collected authentic interactions, an analysis of the frequency of swear words and a comparison with other English corpora is presented, followed by an interactional sociolinguistic analysis of how swearing is used in interactions. The aim of the paper is to demonstrate not only how swearing can be used to engender solidarity, but that a range of socio-pragmatic functions of swearing such as intensifying and indexing a vernacular identity, can be used in performing leadership.

The Unique Lived Experiences of LGBQ Athletes: A Collegiate Women’s Rugby Club Team as an Inclusive & Empowering Community

ABSTRACT There is ongoing debate regarding the culture of competitive women’s sports. On one hand, women who participate in sports are viewed as adhering to and reinforcing heteronormative stereotypes and hegemonic masculinity. Conversely, women’s sports are viewed as an inherently supportive environment for those involved. The current study explored the latter phenomena, specifically related to factors that promote an inclusive and empowering community for LGBTQ+ women. Eleven individual semi-structured interviews and one follow-up focus group with six participants were conducted with women from a collegiate women’s rugby club team. All participants described their sexual identities as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and/or Queer (LGBQ). A reflexive thematic analysis was used to analyze the data collectively. Participants described their collegiate rugby team as being one of their first encounters with a safe and inclusive LGBTQ+ environment. Membership on the team also was viewed as an important experience that helped participants come to terms with their sexual identity. Specifically, findings indicate the supportive actions of teammates, an inclusive team culture, and unique factors related to the sport of rugby helped promote an inclusive and empowering community for LGBTQ+ women. Indeed, from a critical positive youth development perspective, social justice life skills (e.g., allyship) provided actionable behaviors that promote an inclusive and empowering community for LGBTQ+ women. However, future research must seek to understand the lived experiences of all women’s rugby participants, particularly transgender and athletes of color.

Standard and semi-standard plays in competition activity of leading rugby-15 national teams

The present article analyzes the results of pedagogical survey and contrastive analysis of competition activity among national teams participating in Rugby-15 Championship 2022 season. It should be noted that the analysis of indices of competition activity at the championship using provided data will help supplement, expand, and substantiate current knowledge in the issue discussed. Indices of competition activity of rugby teams officially approved by the International Rugby Board, IRB were used in our research. Namely, the paper focuses on indices of standard (scrums and line-outs) and semi-standard plays (rucks, mauls) of New Zealand, South African Republic, Argentina, Australia national teams.&#x0D; By the results of analysis of statistical data, it has been revealed that players of national team New Zealand prevailed over their opponents by indices of competition activity, successful scrums and line-outs; players of national teams South African Republic slightly prevailed by indices of rucks and mauls. However, by the most important index as assumed by us, namely the number of successful tackles of ball carrier, team New Zealand also prevailed.&#x0D; Having analyzed the indices of competition activity, namely standard and semi-standard plays in Championship 2022 season we may state that rugby players of national team New Zealand prevail in three out of five indices of competition activity in rugby-15: more successful than other in scrums (87.5%); more successful on line-outs (88.5%); led by the important index of competition activity – tackling of a ball carrier (88.6%). At the same time, the best percentage of successful rucks and mauls was shown by players of South African Republic (94% and 92.3% respectively). According to this, better results of competition activity indices of national team New Zealand undoubtedly influenced on final general result at the aforementioned Championship.

Epidemiology of the Injuries Sustained by Elite Spanish under-18 and under-20 Rugby Players.

This study examines the injuries suffered by players (n=166) of the Spanish national men's under-18 and under-20 rugby teams between 2015 and 2017, and identifies the actions involved in their occurrence. All injuries (total n=78) sustained during matches and training were recorded as recommended by World Rugby, and injury incidence rates per 1000 player-hours (ph) calculated for both types of activity. Injuries occurred more commonly during matches than during training (incidence 105.3 [95% CI: 78.7-131.9] per 1000 [ph] of match play, vs 1.16 [95% CI: 0.69-1.62] per 1000 ph of training), and most days absent per 1000 ph during matches with<3 days rest since the previous match (4209.2 [95% CI: 3516.2-4902.1] per 1000 ph of match play, vs 1947.4 [95% CI: 1511.8-2382.9] per 1000 ph of match play in matches with>3 days rest). These results provide information that may be useful in the development of strategies aimed at reducing the incidence of injuries.

Analysis on the Difficulties Related to the Training Activity Specific to Women’s Rugby

In Romania are just 4 women's rugby teams, and just 60-70 players, the selection and the competition in rugby is difficult. Also, the lack of skills of coaches in the women's rugby sector creates the need to promote education in and through sport with special focus on skills development of coaches interested in women's rugby. The objective of the study is to highlight the vulnerabilities faced by rugby coaches and female rugby athletes and find solutions for eliminating or diminishing prejudices like parents' fears of letting their girls practice a sport that can be considered harsh. The survey contains 27 questions and was applied online via google forms in four countries: Romania, Poland, Portugal and Spain. The research was carried out over a period of 2 months, in 2020. Participants were 126 rugby specialists: coaches, doctors, teachers, managers, referees. Results aim to provide important data for understanding the challenges faced by coaches and specialists in women's rugby 7: how to select girl athletes, what are the things that determine athletes to continue playing rugby, if their training should be different from that of the boys and how the women's rugby game could be promoted. Possible solutions can be: coaches may need to use a full range of questioning and demonstration strategies (use of experienced players to demonstrate, use of video). Physical differences between male and female children aged ten to twelve years of age are usually minimal. Rugby girls seven needs more media coverage.

How Pure Was Romanian Rugby? Minority, Majority and Extremists in Romanian Interwar Rugby

One of the most compelling characterisations of interwar Romanian rugby was that it was once a ‘pure’ sport, played almost exclusively by ethnic Romanians. This issue is important considering the connections between nationalism, sports, and national representation in competitions during the interwar period in Romania. For Romanian rugby, the issue had also been raised in the 1930s when, in the context of the controversies surrounding the Romanization of the national football team, the national rugby team was cited as an example of a situation in which results or field losses were irrelevant because those who represented Romania were ‘pure’ Romanians. The purpose of this article is to quantitatively and qualitatively analyse the ethnic ‘purity’ of Romanian rugby, from the national team to the teams which played in the first division. An analysis of the rugby minority and the extremist teams (Macabbi Bucharest, Legiunea Sportivă Bucharest) will be undertaken, as will the changes in Romanian rugby during the National Legionary State. This article proves the falseness of the purity idea of Interwar Romanian rugby, using content analysis and explaining this in the context of that epoch.

Effects Of Covid-19 On Injury Risk And Performance Readiness Of A Major League Rugby (MLR) Team

Effects Of Covid-19 On Injury Risk And Performance Readiness Of A Major League Rugby (MLR) Team

The Effect of Coaching Leadership Styles Towards Motivational Factors Among Selangor and UITM Lions Rugby Players

The objective of this research is to investigate the effect of coaching leadership styles towards motivational factors among Selangor and UITM Lions rugby players. The sample was chosen from two of the best rugby team in Selangor respectively. Purposive sampling was employed to pick the sample of 66 rugby players. As the primary instrument for acquiring information about coaching leadership styles and motivational factors, they were given an online questionnaire to complete. The Leadership Scale for Sport - 15 Version (LSS-15) questionnaire is used to determine coaching leadership styles, while the Sport Motivation Scale-II (SMS-II) is used to determine motivational factors. All data in this study was analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) version 26.0. The mean of the data was generated using descriptive analysis to determine the preferred coaching leadership styles among rugby players and the motivational factors among rugby players. The relationship between coaching leadership styles and motivational factors among rugby players was analysed using Spearman Correlation. The researcher discovered that there is significant relationship between leadership styles towards motivational factors.

Sensuous intoxication: Learning from bodies in organisational ethnography

An increasing number of management articles have focused on embodied ethnography in terms of either understanding other bodies at work or how our own bodies as researchers inform knowledge. In advancing this latter approach, we argue for an embodiment that sensually intoxicates our bodies, enabling new forms of learning to emerge. To grow this understanding, we draw on Maurice Merleau-Ponty’s concept ‘le schéma corporel’, a shared physiognomy of the senses. This concept informs a corporeal methodology which details three organisational depictions that emerge from a season long immersion in a professional rugby team. We illustrate how the Will was corporeally apprenticed in this setting through an understanding of the body as situated, emotional and physical. The article concludes by suggesting it is the researcher’s own body that is the site of learning, providing a sense to the reader of the pain, touch and sound of professional rugby.

A matter of honour: the Romanian national rugby team at the 1924 Olympic Games

The fact that the Romanian national rugby team participated in the Olympic Games in Paris 1924 is widely known, mentioned only in the brief remarks of participants of the games. Therefore, the circumstances of Romania’s participation in the 1924 Olympic Games, the efforts to create a national team that was sent to Paris, the significance of the Romanian presence in this competition requires a deeper evaluation. Over time, this moment has become one of the most important points of reference for Romanian Rugby and the Romanian sports movement due to the bronze medals won by the Romanian rugby team. But the relevance of these medals was different in the interwar period compared to what was assigned to them later and today. This situation can be explained in the historical context and terms of the re-evaluation in Romania of the interwar Olympic Games.

Pray and Play: Challenging Social Order through Collective Corporeal Rituals in a Prison

This paper examines how a collective of prisoners transform their everyday lives in a high security prison. We show how these individuals both become new beings, and significantly modify certain functioning rules of the prison and the relationships they have with the prison authorities; we theorize these achievements as produced by two body-related rituals created by prisoners themselves: one related to rugby games and trainings, another related to weekly collective prayers. We show how these rituals enhance the collective energy of the group and build capacities for prisoners to learn new knowledge and skills. Our analysis rests on an ethnographic study of the inmates’ rugby team “Los Espartanos”. We specifically analyze corporeal interactions during rugby games and collective prayers as embodied social practices that are meaningful and meaning making. We use carnal sociology to analyze how the acquisition and ritualization of corporeal collective capacities hold possibilities of transformation in very constraining organizational environments.