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Rugby union contact skills alter evasive agility performance during attacking ball carries
Journal article   Open access   Peer reviewed

Rugby union contact skills alter evasive agility performance during attacking ball carries

Keane Wheeler and Mark Sayers
International Journal of Sports Science and Coaching, Vol.6(3), pp.419-432
2011
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1260/1747-9541.6.3.419
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https://doi.org/10.1260/1747-9541.6.3.419View
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Abstract

centre of mass defence skills fending rugby football running speed
Rugby union is a collision sport where evasive agility running patterns and the tackle contest determine the effectiveness of attacking ball carries. This study used three-dimensional kinematic analysis to examine the running technique of eight highly trained rugby union players during three rugby based reactive (in response to a defender positioned at the side-step) agility conditions (non-contact, contact and fend). The fend condition involved pushing a defender away with the upper body during the side-step and both fend and contact conditions required impact with an additional defender at the straighten-step, simulating a rugby tackle. Results demonstrated that a reduction in the relative height of the centre of mass relative to standing height (%CM) occurred at the straighten-step during the contact condition (47.2 ±1.9 %CM) compared to the noncontact condition (49.1 ±1.8 %CM, p <.001). The fend condition was then shown to increase %CM at the straighten-step (48.4 ±2.7 %CM) when compared to the contact condition (47.2 ±1.9 %CM, p = .017). However this difference was not observed at tackle impact during the straighten-step, with similar %CM values for fend (45.1 ±3.4 %CM) and contact conditions (44.6 ±2.6 %CM, p = .205). Further analysis showed that the number of steps displayed between the side-step and straighten-step (transition phase) altered the %CM, with one step during the transition phase increasing %CM (49.3 ±1.5 %CM) compared to two transition phase steps (46.9 ±1.6 %CM, p < .001) and no transition phase steps (46.5 ±1.6 %CM, p < .001). The changes to running technique during agility conditions involving tackle situations highlight the need for running programs in rugby union to meet the specific requirements of match-play activities.

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