Match-Play Running Performance and Exercise Intensity in Elite International Women's Rugby Sevens

Malone, S, Earls, M, Shovlin, A, Eddy, A, and Winkelman, N. Match-play running performance and exercise intensity in elite international women's rugby sevens. J Strength Cond Res 34(6): 1741–1749, 2020—The aim of the current investigation was to describe the running and physiological performance demands of elite women's rugby sevens match-play. Twenty-seven (n = 27) rugby seven's players (24.4 ± 2.1 years; 168 ± 7.1 cm; 67.9 ± 4.3 kg) were recruited for the current investigation. Across the observational period, 36 games were analyzed; during these games, players wore global positioning system technology (10-Hz, Statsports Viper Pod; STATSports, Newry, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom) and heart rate monitors (Polar Team System, Polar Electro Oy, Kempele, Finland). A total of 250 individual player data sets were obtained for final analysis. Players were categorized based on positional groups; backs and forwards, and monitored across halves of play. The mean distance covered during match-play was 1,625 ± 132 m which equates to a relative running performance of 116.1 ± 9.4 m·min−1. The high-speed distance of players was 199 ± 44 m, which equates to a relative high-speed running performance of 14.2 ± 3.1 m·min−1. Significant reductions in high-speed running (p = 0.003; effect size [ES]: 0.23; 90% confidence interval [CI]: 0.11–0.41) and significant increases in lower speed running were observed across halves of play (p = 0.04; ES: 0.33; 90% CI: 0.16–0.54). A...
Source: Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research - Category: Sports Medicine Tags: Original Research Source Type: research