With improvements in athletic performance it is important to assess changes in response to training and fatigue. Performance tests should be reliable to observe longitudinal changes, as well as being quick and easy to administer within an applied setting. The purpose of this study was to investigate the reliability of a cycle ergometer to measure peak and average power during two short maximal sprint efforts in rugby union players and determine any differences between the two tests. Seven professional male rugby union players (Age 28.4 ± 4.5 years, body mass 96.6 ± 10.0 kg, height 1.83 ± 0.02 m) randomly completed 5 maximal 6 second tests and 5 maximal 30 second tests on a standardized Wattbike on 10 separate occasions. Mean coefficient of variation, intraclass correlation coefficient, SEM and SWC for the 6 second test; peak power (3.8%, 0.858, 4% and 11.1%) and the 30 second test; peak power (2.8%, 0.870, 5.6% and 14.1%). No significant differences were observed between the mean values of 6 second test and 30 second test for peak power (1378 ± 53.4 & 1339 ± 37.5). Both tests are highly reliable when measuring power in elite rugby union players and could be used to track meaningful changes over time. However, a 6 second test would be more practical and time efficient method over the 30 second equivalent.
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