Rugby sevens is a format of rugby union that has increased in popularity in recent years and will be contested at the Olympic Games from 2016. Marked differences in the specific demands of competition between 15-player rugby union and rugby sevens suggest the characteristics of high-level players in each format may also differ (Higham et al., 2011). Although the characteristics of 15-a-side rugby union players have been well defined, little information exists on rugby sevens players. We profiled the anthropometric, physiological and performance qualities of elite-level rugby sevens players, and quantified relationships between these characteristics. Methods: Eighteen male international rugby sevens players undertook anthropometric (body mass, stature, sum of seven skinfolds, lean mass index), acceleration and speed (40-m sprint), muscular power (vertical jump), repeated-sprint ability (6 x 30-m sprint) and endurance (Yo- Yo intermittent recovery level 1 test and treadmill VO2max) testing. Associations between measurements were assessed by correlation analysis. Results: Rugby sevens players had anthropometric characteristics (body mass 89.7 ± 7.6 kg, stature 1.83 ± 0.06 m, sum of skinfolds 52.2 ± 11.5 mm; mean ± SD) similar to backs in international 15-player rugby union. Acceleration and speed (40-m sprint 5.11 ± 0.15 s), muscular power (vertical jump 66 ± 7 cm), and endurance (VO2max 53.8 ± 3.4 mL/kg/min) qualities were similar to, or better than, professional 15-a-side players. Coefficients of variation ranged from 2.5 to 22%. Relative VO2max was largely correlated with Yo-Yo distance (r = 0.60, 0.21 to 0.82; 90% confidence interval) and moderately correlated with 40-m sprint time (r = -0.46, -0.75 to -0.02) and repeated-sprint ability (r = -0.38, -0.72 to 0.09). A very large correlation was observed between velocity at VO2max and Yo-Yo distance (r= 0.89, 0.74 to 0.96). Discussion: Our findings provide an important first step toward the development of physical performance standards for players training to compete at the international level. International rugby sevens players require highly-developed speed, power and endurance to tolerate the demands of competition. The small between-athlete variability of characteristics in rugby sevens players highlights the need for relatively uniform physical and performance standards in contrast with 15-a-side teams. Simple field-based measures may be employed to assess training adaptations and prescribe velocity thresholds for performance monitoring in place of timeconsuming and expensive laboratory-based tests.
© Copyright 2012 17th Annual Congress of the European College of Sport Science (ECSS), Bruges, 4. -7. July 2012. Veröffentlicht von Vrije Universiteit Brussel. Alle Rechte vorbehalten.