(49) Anaerobic performance profiles of D1A college rugby players

Purpose:   The purpose of this study was to document anaerobic performance characteristics of DIA collegiate rugby athletes and to compare forward and back position groups. 

Methods:   Thirty-three D1A rugby athletes from a single university volunteered to participate in this study.  Anaerobic performance profiles that were measured included: weighted 1RM pull up, single countermovement jump (CMJ), 4 repeated CMJs, 1 RM back squat, 1 RM bench press, seated medicine ball throw, 10 m sprint, 40 m sprint, and 5 m repeated sprint ability (RSA) test.  Tests were completed over 5 pre-season testing days.  No other training was performed during the testing period.   On the first day participants signed informed consent statements and completed heath screening.  Also, height, body mass, and 1 RM pull up (body mass plus added external weight) were conducted.  During day 2 testing, the 1 RM back squat was measured.  Also, all CMJ testing was measured using a Just Jump Mat (Probotics Inc., Huntsville, AL).  Day 3 consisted of the seated medicine ball throw (9 kg) and 1RM bench press.  Day 4 included all sprint testing using a timing gate system (Brower, Draper, UT).  The final day of testing included body composition measurement using air-displacement plethysmography (Cosmed, Concord, CA).  For statistical analysis, participants were divided between forwards (n = 19) and backs (n = 14).  Independent samples t- tests was used to assess differences between backs and forwards on all variables.  Results were considered significant when p £ 0.05.  

Results:   For anthropometric variables, forwards had greater height, body mass, and percent body fat.  For performance variables, backs performed significantly better than forwards in the CMJ, 4CMJ, 10m sprint, 40m sprint, RSAt, and RSAa.  Data with corresponding Cohen’s d can be found in Table 1. 

Conclusions:   In the sample tested, backs were smaller, lighter, and had a lower percent body fat, which helped predispose them to better performance CMJ, sprinting and RSA.  PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS:  Rugby coaches and strength and condition coaches may need to be aware of greater body size and composition of athletes, such as forwards in this investigation, when designing training programs and practices.  The forwards in this investigation had greater percent body fat while also exhibiting reduced lower body aerobic power as measured by CMJ and RSA.

Acknowledgements: None