Relevant factors in developing a conditioning program for rugby players

1. Physical Preparation in Rugby
Adriano Vretaros
Strength and Conditioning Coach
São Paulo – BRAZIL
avretaros@gmail.com

2. Rugby: Characteristics - I
● Rugby Union
● Rugby League
● Rugby Sevens

3. Rugby: Characteristics - II
● Team Sport
● Collision Sport
● Invasion and Evasion Game
● Multiple Requirements (T-T-P)

4. Rugby: Characteristics - III
● Intermittent Sport
● High Intensity Demands
● High Force Collisions

5. Tactical Positions in Rugby - I
● Forwards
● Backs

6. Tactical Positions in Rugby - II
1- Loosehead prop 11- Left wing
2- Hooker 12- Inside centre
3- Tighthead prop 13- Outside centre
4- Second row 14- Right wing
5- Second row 15- Fullback
6- Blindside flanker
7- Openside flanker
8- Number 8
9- Scrum half
10- Fly-half

7. Motor Skills in Rugby
● Pass
● Kick
● Run
● Contact
● Jump
● Push
● Dribble

8. Rugby: Tackle

9. Rugby: Scrum

10. Rugby: Ruck

11. Rugby: Maul

12. Rugby: The Lineout

13. Anthropometric Profile in Rugby - I
● N= 112 rugby players – European Super League (Elite)
● Body Composition: Dual Energy X-ray – Absorptiometry (DXA) scans
%Body Fat Total Mass(Kg)
Fullback and Wingers 13(2,1) 86(8,2)
Centres 13(2,4) 91(6,6)
Half Backs 12(3,4) 81((8)
Hookers 15(3,9) 84(9,5)
Props 16(4,3) 102(8,5)
Back Row Forwards 15(2,1) 93(5,5)
(Morehen et alii, 2015)

14. Anthropometric Profile in Rugby - II
(Rodriguez-Rodriguez et alii, 2008)
VARIABLES FORWARDS (n=06) BACKS (n=05)
Weight (Kg) 100,6+-17,7 85,67+-8,5
Height (m) 182,91+-5,71 177+-6,05
%MM 50,9 50,77
%FM 21,7 23,26
Kg MM 53,77 42,68
Kg FM 23,9 19,27
Somatotype 3,5 – 6,5 – 0,9 3 – 7 – 0,6

15. Bioenergetics of the Rugby
● Alactic System (30-40%)
● Lactic Acid System (10-20%)
● Aerobic System (30-50%)
(Bompa & Haff, 2012)

16. Total Distances Traveled by
Different Tactical Positions
● Fullback – 7,760m
● Wing – 7,457m
● Center – 7,301m
● Five-eight – 8,402m
● Halfback – 8,500m
● Houker – 6,988m
● Lock – 5,481m
● Row – 6,936m
● Prop players – 4,597m
(Austin & Kelly, 2014)

17. Match Demands in Rugby League Competition
● n= 17 Elite(E) and 22 Semi-elite(SE) rugby league players
● Total Intensity (E: 108,9+-10,6m.min ; SE: 102,3+-9,7m.min)
● High Intensity (E: 36,7+-9,8m.min ; SE: 29,6+-7,8m.min)
● Mean Playing Speed (E: 6,6+-0,6Km.h-1 ; SE: 6,2+-0,6Km.h-1)
● Support Play (E: 0,29+-0,16min-1 ; SE: 0,15+-0,09min-1) (p<0,01)
● ELITE PLAYERS: decrements in most physical performance
measures during the second-half match (p<0,01)
(Sirotic et alii, 2009)

18. The Movement Characteristics of
Elite Rugby Union
● n=96 elite players from 08 English Premiership Clubs
● Global Positioning System (GPS)
● 44 Competitive Matches (2010-2011 season)
● Low Speeds - ¨Sprinting¨: Backs (50+-76m) and Forwards (37+-64m)
● Backs travelled greater (p<0,05) absolute and relative distances than
Forwards
● Scrum Half: total distance (7098+-778m)
● Front Row: (5158+-200m)
● Back Row: greatest distances ¨sprinting¨ speeds (number 8 – 77m)
● Training Program – Structured
(Cahill et alii, 2013)

19. Capacities Conditioning in Rugby
● Strength (Maximum, Elastic-explosive, Elastic-
reactive, Power)
● Endurance (ATP-CP, Lactic Acid, Aerobic)
● Speed (Reaction, Motion, Displacement, Endurance)
● Agility (Reactive)
● Flexibility (Mobility)

20. Coordinative Capacities in Rugby
● Hand-eye coordination
● Eye-foot coordination
● Orientation spatiotemporal
● Balance (dynamic, static and recovered)
● Precision
● Acrobatics (falls, spins, diving)
● Laterality
● Anticipatory Timing

21. Controlled Testing Performance
in Rugby Players
● 1) FIELD TESTING
Strength (1RM Bench press, Squat, Deadlift, Vertical Jump, Long
Jump, Sit-ups, SJ, CMJ, DJ, SBJ)
Endurance (3000m, Cooper, Yo-Yo Test)
Agility (Shuttle run)
Velocity (Sprint 10, 20, 30 and 50m)
Flexibility
● 2) LABORATORY TESTING
Wingate test, VO2max, Isokinetic evaluation, Biochemical tests

22. VO2max in Amateur Rugby
Players
● Cooper Test 52,71+-3,53
● Yo-Yo Test 51,17+-3,28
*mlKgmin
(Carvalho et alii, 2011)

23. Lactate and Heart Rate
in Rugby Seven
(Ruffino & Wheeler, 2003)
Player Division Function Lactate HR Lactate HR
Lopez,GA First Pillar 12,9 177 11,9 160
Carrizo, D First Wing 13,2 164 ------ 171
Vidal, D M20 Pillar 14,2 168 8 173
Alanis, M M20 12 Scrum 10,8 173 15,3 172
Nelegatti, L M18 Pillar 10,7 163 23 161
Alanis, F M18 Wing 15,4 171 12,7 160

24. Physical Tests in Rugby
● n=20 – 12 Forwards and 08 Backs
● Age= 18-30 years
● TESTS: 1)Test of 3000 meters
2) 20m shuttle run test
● Test of 3000m= 54+-2,8 mlKgmin
● 20m shuttle run test= 54,3+-4,7 mlKgmin
● CORRELATION: 1)Forwards – r=0,94
2)Backs – r=0,77
(Pastor. 2003)

25. Physical Fitness of Rugby Players in the
Post Season Period
VARIABLES MEAN
Age (years) 21,4
RCQ 0,84
Cooper 36,43 mlKgmin
50m (s) 7,86
Sit-ups (rep) 42,1
(Lima Borges et alii, 2013)

26. Rugby-5: Indexes of Physical
Development
(Filenko et alii, 2013)
Indicators Height Weight 30m run Long jump
the spot
Forward
torso bent
Shuttle run
Height (cm) 1
Weight
(Kg)
0,38 1
30m run (s) -0,30 -0,23 1
Long jump
the spot
(cm)
0,28 0,16 -0,22 1
Forward
torso bent
(cm)
0,35 0,08 -0,19 0,50 1
Shuttle run
4x9 (s)
-0,24 -0,19 0,32 0,03 -0,07 1

27. Fitness Profile of Elite Rugby Players
● n=41 male U-19 Rugby Players
● Backs(n=16) and Forwards(n=25)
● Body Weight (Kg) – significant differences= BACKS(+-4,12- p<001,
effect size strong) and the FORWARDS
● 20m timeseconds (SC=0,49)
● Agility 10x5m (SC=0,49)
● Mesomorph (SC=0,47)
● Endomorph (SC=0,39)
● 50m timeseconds (SC=0,36)
● VO2max (SC= -0,30)
(Vaz et alii, 2015)

28. Training Types to Rugby Players
● Technical Training
● Physical Training
● Technical-Tactical Training
● Technical-Physical Training
● Technical-Tactical-Physical Training

29. Physical Conditioning in Rugby
● General Physical Preparation
● Physical Preparation Specific
1)Individualized Tactic by Function
2)Team Style of Play

30. Strength Training for Rugby - I
● PHASES:
1) Anatomic Adaptation
2) Hypertrophy
3) Maximum Strength
4) Power

31. Strength Training for Rugby - II
● Conventional Strength Training
● Olympic Lifting Techniques
● Functional Training
● Strongman Training
● Wrestling Training

32. Muscles Contraction Regime in
Rugby
● Isometric
● Concentric
● Eccentric
● Stretch-shortening cycle

33. Testosterone and Cortisol
Responses in Rugby Training
● n=27 elite male Rugby Players
● Four Protocols
● PROTOCOL 01: 5 x 15 – 55%RM
● PROTOCOL 02: 3 x 5 – 85%RM
● PROTOCOL 03: Strongman Session
● PROTOCOL 04: Based on Boxing and Wrestling
● Salivary Testosterone and Cortisol – PRE and POST
● TC ratio increased significantly in PROTOCOL 1-2
● Absolute testosterone response PROTOCOL 1-3-4 (p<0,01)
(Gaviglio et alii, 2015)

34. Endurance Training for Rugby - I
● Intensive Interval Training
● Extensive Interval Training

35. Endurance Training for Rugby - II
● GROUP 01 – Reduced Training (SSG)
● GROUP 02 – Intermittent Training
(Garcia, 2014 apud Dellal, 2012)
SSG AREA SIZE Duration Repetition Pause WORK TOTAL
2 vs 2 20x20m 100m2 2´30´´ 5 2´ 12´30´´ 20´30´´
1 vs 1 15x10m 150m2 2´30´´ 5 1´30´´ 7´30´´ 13´30´´
INT
30´´ x 30´´
Vel 30-15
95%
Blocks
2
Block
10
Pause
6´ passive
Work
10´
Total
26´
15´´ x 15´´ 100% 2 8 5´ passive 8´ 13´
10´´ x 10´´ 95% 2 7 5´ passive 4´10´´ 11´40´´

36. Rugby: Effort-Pause Ratio
● Forwards (1:7)
● Backs (1:20)
● 15-a-side game (1:4 to 1:2)

37. Responses to a Maximal Speed Training
Session in Elite Rugby Players
● n= 18 male Rugby Players
● PROTOCOL: 6 maximal effort repetitions of 50m running
sprints (5 minutes recovery)
● T, C, Ck, La, MS and CMJ
● PRE, IP, 2P, 24P
● JUMP Parameters: several declining (p<0,05) IP
recovering 2P – secondary decline 24P
● Biomodal Recovery pattern of neuromuscular function
(Johnston et alii, 2015)

38. Running Techniques in Rugby
● Running Posture
● Balance
1) Foot Speed
2) Height of the foot during recovery
3) Foot landing distance
● The Effect of Ball Carrying
● Pelvic Stability
(Sayers, 1998)

39. Carry or Not the Ball Affects Sprint Speed in
Rugby Union
● HYPOTHESIS: running with the ball in two hands – SHORTER
STEPS
● PERFORMED: 9 sprints – total under three conditions over 30m
● TRUNK: more upright without ball – 80,16+-2,53o – compared with
the ball in one hand: 78,15+-3,01o and two hands: 77,58+-2,98o
● STEP LENGTH: without a ball: 1,93m+-0,11 – similar ball in two
hands: 1,93m+-0,09
● STEP Frequency: without ball: 5,03+-0,17Hz – ball in two hands:
5,05+-0,08Hz
● Incorporating the ball in the SPECIFIC TRAINING of SPRINT
(Setter, 2014)

40. Sprint Speed in Rugby
● GROUP 1: Sled + Sprint
● Sled (12,6% of body weight): 1 set x 3rep x20m (2`micro –
8`macro)
● Sprint: 2 sets x 3rep x 20m (2`micro and 4`macro)
● GROUP 2: Only Sprint
● Sprint: 1 set x 3rep x20m (2´micro – 8´macro)
● Sprint: 2 sets x 3rep x 20m (2´ micro – 4´macro)
● In the two groups (1 and 2) improvements were fount at the first
speed of 10m with 30m test
● Sled is effective for speed drills – SHORT DISTANCES
(Cesar Garcia, 2015)

41. Agility Training in Rugby - I
● Multi-directional nature of Rugby:
● 1) Physiological Capacities
● 2) Biomechanical Abilities
● 3) Advanced Cognitive Strategies
(Wheeler, 2009)

42. Agility Training in Rugby - II
● Agility Skill Classification:
● 1) SIMPLE -Planned Movement
Planned Enviroment
● 2) TEMPORAL – Planned Movement
Unplanned Enviroment
● 3) SPATIAL – Unplanned Movement
Planned Enviroment
● 4) UNIVERSAL - Unplanned Movement
Unplanned Enviroment
(Wheeler, 2009)

43. Altitude Training in Rugby
● 12 sessions of repeated sprint training (10x6sx30s recovery)
● 4 weeks – HYPOXIA(13%FO2) vs NORMOXIA(21%FO2)
HYPOXIA GROUP
(Adapted from Galvin et alii, 2013)
DISTANCES PRE POST p Value Time vs Condition
5m (s) 1,06+-0,06 1,04+-0,05 0,01 0,785
10m (s) 1,79+-0,10 1,75+-0,06 0,064 0,765
20m (s) 3,05+-0,10 3,05+-0,11 0,12 0,413
20m RSA (s) 32,2+-1,11 31,9+-1,2 0,039 0,391
Yo-Yo IR1 (m) 1237+-265 1621+-364 <0,001 0,002

44. Rugby: Force of Collisions
● Force of Tackle: Rugby vs American Football
● Click - VIDEO

45. Rugby: Scrum Mechanics - I
● The Science of the SCRUM
● Click Here VIDEO - Scrum in Rugby

46. Rugby: Scrum Mechanics - II
● Scrummaging against an instrumental Scrum Machine
● Kinetic data
● Scrummaging Combinations: front-row only, front-row
plus second-row, full scrum minus side-row and full scrum
● Three orthogonal components of force
● The back-row (number 8) forward did not substantially
contribute any additional forward force
● Lateral and Vertical shear force experienced by the front-
row
● Side-row contributed an additional 20-27% to the forward
force
(Milburn, 2008)

47. Activity of Spinal Muscles during
Machine and Live Scrums
● Muscles Activity: Sternocleidomastoid, Upper Trapezius
and Erector Spinae – EMG
● Higher Isometric Force: Extension, Flexion and Rotation
Motions
● Erector Spinae: significantly higher – push phase of Live
Scrummaging (p<0.01) – 56+-26% lower (CBS vs Live)
and 62+-18% lower (CBS vs Live) and large effect size
(d>0,8)
● Upper Trapezius: lower in the CTS than CBS and Live
conditions (d>1,1)
● Sternocleidomastoid: similar across conditions
(Cazzola et alii, 2014)

48. Physical Contact Changes the Internal
and External Load during Rugby
Simulations
● Contact (CON) vs Non-contact (NCON)
● Relative Distance Covered (ES= 1,27+-0,29)
● Low Intensity Activity (ES= 1,13+-0,31)
● High Intensity Running (ES=0,49+-0,34)
● Heart Rate (ES= 0,52+-0,35)
● Blood Lactate (ES= 0,78+-0,34)
● RPE (ES= 0,72+-0,38)
● Session RPE (ES= 1,45+-0,51)
● Muscle Soreness was also greater after CON compared to
the NCON trial (ES=0,97+-0,55)
(Mullen et alii, 2015)

49. Neck Function in Rugby Players
● Active Cervical Spine range of motion and proprioception
● Flexion, Extension, Left and Right Lateral Flexion, Plus
Left and Right Rotation
● Rugby Forwards – Neck Extension (Forwards: 43o ;
Backs: 55o)
● Decrement correlating with the number of Years of Played
● Significantly worse in Rugby players after neck extension
than Non-rugby players (6o vs 3o)
● Effect on neck range of motion that is equivalent to chronic
disability
● INJURY: age-related neck problems
(Lark & McCarthy, 2007)

50. Rugby Headgear
● Reduce the consequences of a HEAD IMPACT
● MEASURED: maximum acceleration and head injury of a
headform fitted with the headgear
● 02 Headgear – commercially available and tested
● Limited effectiveness to reduce consequences of a head
related impact
● CONCLUSION: IRB should increase the maximum
allowable headgear thickness to 20+-2mm
(Eager et alii, 2014)

51. Fatigue in Rugby - I
● Proficiency:
1) Technical
2) Tactical
● Technique:
1) Individual
2) Team
(Bompa & Claro, 2008)

52. Fatigue in Rugby - II
● PERIPHERAL
1) Cardiovascular
2) Metabolic
3) Neuromotor
● CENTRAL

53. Fatigue of the Trunk Flexor and Extensor
Muscles in Rugby Players
● Four Protocols (A, B, C, D)
● A: Isokinetic: before and after fatigue, with a 10 rep
isokinetic fatigue period
● B: Isokinetic: before and after fatigue with a 45 second
isometric fatigue period
● C: Isometric: before and after fatigue with a 10 rep
isokinetic fatigue period
● D: Isometric: before and after fatigue with 45 second
isometric fatigue period
● In FLEXION: protocol D – Greatest Fatigue
● Peak Torque bring 16,2% less after than before fatigue
(Corin et alii, 2005)

54. Fatigue and Muscle Damage in
Women´s Rugby Sevens
● National (n=12) vs State (n=10)
● Testing for lower-body neuromuscular function (CMJ)
● Perceived Soreness and Perceived Recovery
● National Players: greater on-field movements for total
time, distance, high speed running (>5ms-1) and impacts
>10G (effect size= 0,55-0,97) and displayed a smaller
decrement in performance from day one to day two
● State Players: much greater 4-fold increase (Ck=737 Ul)
in Ck compared to the 2-fold increase (Ck= 502Ul) in
National Players
(Clarke et alii, 2015)

55. Injuries in Rugby - I
● RUGBY: higher risk injury than other sports
● High levels of gravitational force are sustained in tackling and
scrum
● Injury by 83% players – knee (25%)
● 5,95 injuries per 1000 match playing hours
● The Stability Index increased (p=0,03) by 15% in the
mediallateral direction post-season compared to pre-season
● Risk Factor Injury: Scrum-half (14,80%) playing position,
injuries in the 2nd
half of the match (57%) and during contact
(67%)
(Jacoras & Puckree, 2014)

56. Injuries in Rugby - II
(Viljoen et alii, 2009)
2002 2003 2004
Number Injuried Players 19 22 21
Recurrent Injuries 12 10 18
New Injuries 38 30 20
TOTAL Injuries 50 40 38
Off-season Training (h) 32,7 28,1 30,7
Pre-season Training (h) 56,2 63,8 40,5
Combined off-and pre-season training (h) 88,8 91,8 71,2
In-season Training (h) 67,7 78,6 79,9
Overall Training Time (h) 196,5 170,4 151,1

57. Different Recovery Times on the Activity
Profiles of Rugby League
● Recovery Cycles: Short (separated by 5 or 6 days), Medium
(separated by 7 or 8 days) and Long (separated by 9 or 10
days)
● Speed, Distance and Repeated High-intensity effort activity
● Relative Total Distance – Short recovery than those involving
Medium (ES=1,13) or Long (ES=1,08)
● INJURIES: high after SHORT between-match recovery cycles
● Injury Rates: Hit-up Forwards and outside backs positional
groups were the highest after LONG between-match recovery
cycles
(Murray et alii, 2014)

58. Periodization Programs to
Rugby Players
● Pendulous
● Structural
● Selective Charges
● Modulated in Blocks

59. Comparison of Training Loads in
Professional and Amateur Rugby
● Union Rugby Buenos Aires (URBA)
(Sciancalepore, 2015)
Description of hours PROFESSIONAL AMATEUR
Weekly hours available 80 hours 25 hours
Effective weekly hours 30 hours 07 hours
Hours of training
dedication
37,50% 28%

60. Rugby Union: Change the Game Between
1972 – 2004
(Quarrie & Hopkins, 2007)
● Increases in: Passes, Tackles, Rucks, Tries and Ball-in-
play
● Reductions: Lineouts, Mauls, Kicks in play, and mean
participation time per player
● Time trends: increase in the number of Rucks and a
decrease in the number of Scrums
● Good weather conditions: increases in tries and points
scored and with reductions in the number of kicks in play
and participation time per player
● Professionalism: players have become heavier and
Backs have become taller
● Overall: law changes, developments in match analysis,
equipment technology and player training

61. Successful and Less-successful in
Semi-elite Rugby League
● The high-sucess group was able to maintain ball-in
-play time:
A) 22% greater than the low-success group (p=0,01) and
B) Greater than their mean period of match-play
(p=0,01)
● Forwards from the high success group:
1) Covered less total distance (p=0,02 ; p=0,01)
2) Less high-intensity running distance (p=0,01 ; p=0,01)
3) Involved in a greater number of collisions (p=0,03 ;
p=0,01)
(Hullin & Gabbet, 2015)

62. Nutrition: Protein Distribution during a
Rugby Pre-season
● Muscle Protein Synthesis (MPS)
● n=25 Elite Rugby Union Players
● Start and End of a preseason
● Daily protein intake was 2,2+-0,7g.Kg-day-1
● Carbohydrate: 3,6+-1,3g.Kg-day-1
● Consuming more than 20g of protein
● 3,8+-0,9 times per day (68+-18% of eating
occasions)
(Mackenzie et alii, 2015)

63. Genomics in Rugby Players
● Inter-individual variations in rugby performance
● Strength, Short-term muscle power, VO2max, Injury
susceptibility
● Elite Athletes: Molecular Genetic Techniques
● Develop large DNA biobanks
● Detailed exploration of the heritable bases of those
traits
● Growing knowledge of the molecular mechanisms
● Genetic Tests
(Heffernan et alii, 2015)

64. Rugby: Post-match Recovery Strategies
(Gill et alii, 2006)
● N=23 Elite male rugby players- New Zealand
● 04 interventions: CWT, GAR, ACT and PAS
● Four competitions weeks
● Creatine Kinase(Ck) analysis: 3,5 hours before and
immediately after four games and at 36 and 84 hours post-
match
● Ck from pre-to post competition – levels of 1023,0 (308,3)
and 2194 (833,7) – significant increases(p<0,01)
● ACT – 88,2% recovery after 84 hours
● GAR – 84,4% recovery after 84 hours
● CWT – 85,0% recovery after 84 hours
● PAS - 39,0% recovery after 84 hours (p<0,05)

65. Mental Toughness in Elite University
Rugby League
(Adapted from Sheard, 2009)
SCALE Australia (n=25) Great Britain (n=24)
PPI-A
Determination 13,56+-0,96 13,08+-1,14
Self-belief 16,32+-2,66 17,67+-1,52
Positive Cognition 17,48+-0,59 15,83+-1,01
Visualization 12,60+-1,68 10,25+-1,68
Total Mental Toughness 59,96+-3,92 56,83+-3,14
PVS III - R
Commitment 16,20+-2,36 16,33+-1,52
Control 8,56+-1,53 11,42+-1,10
Challenge 13,56+-1,96 11,13+-1,15
Total Hardiness 38,32+-3,89 38,88+-2,21