BACKGROUND: The aim of the present study was to verify whether it is possible to predict aerobic power in amateur 15-a-side rugby union players through the Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery Test Level 1 (Yo-Yo IRT1) and the 5-meter Multiple Shuttle Test (5-m MST). METHODS: Forty-two amateur players - 22 forwards and 20 backs - were evaluated in three phases: 1) maximum treadmill test in the laboratory; 2) field test set by a drawing in the first phase; and 3) second field test. Descriptive, comparison, correlation, regression and level of agreement analyses were performed. RESULTS: Backs, when compared to forwards, showed a higher VO2max (61.7±15 mL/kg/min and 51.6±10.1 mL/kg/min, respectively), Yo-Yo IRT1 final level (16.4±0.8 and 14.9±0.9, respectively) and Yo-Yo IRT1 total distance (1283.3±312.5 m and 792±277.6 m, respectively), and a higher final distance in the 5-m MST (686.8±36.6 and 642.9±46.5, respectively). Significant correlations were found between the result and the total distance on the Yo-Yo IRT1 and the VO2max (r=0.425 and r=0.459, respectively). Using the total distance covered in the Yo-Yo IRT1, the VO2max of amateur 15-a-side rugby union players can be estimated through the equation VO2max = 0.016 × (DIST Yo-Yo) + 40.578. CONCLUSIONS: Yo-Yo IRT1 is most useful when the objective is to evaluate the aerobic power of amateur RU players in comparison with the 5-m MST.
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