Rugby union (RU) is an intermittent team sport, with diverse playing positions, played internationally by both men and women. Considerable scientific attention has been devoted to men`s RU, however despite the growth in the women`s professional game, there is a significant lack of available physiological and normative data. The purpose of the present study was to investigate positional variation in countermovement jump characteristics from elite women`s RU players. Qualitative data were collected from women`s Rugby World Cup (2017) competitors (n = 86; age: 27 ± 5 years; body mass: 77.8 ± 10.6 kg; height: 1.69 ± 0.07 cm) and jump data (countermovement jumps) were collected using a 1200 Hz force platform (n = 63). Athletes were divided into positional unit (backs: n = 39 and forwards: n = 47) and by positional subgroups. Backs had greater jump height (ES = 0.72, 95%CL ± 0.50), relative power output (ES = 0.84, 95%CL ± 0.50), relative force production (ES = 0.62, 95%CL ± 0.51) and reactive strength index (RSI; ES = 0.62, 95%CL ± 0.50), compared to forwards (for all, P < 0.02). Backrows, halves and back-three players had greater relative force, relative power and jump height, compared to the front and second rows (P < 0.03; ES > 0.70). These data could aid in programming for long-term player development in women`s RU and could have implications for "readiness" to compete at international level.
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