![Sample our Behavioral Sciences journals, sign in here to start your access, latest two full volumes FREE to you for 14 days]({"type":"image" , "src" : "/sda/110801/TOC-Subject-Sample-2021-Behavioral-Sciences.jpg"})
ABSTRACT
The relative age effect (RAE) describes an overrepresentation of players born early (Q1) in a selection year and is highly prevalent within youth sport pathways. However, a dearth of research has investigated the RAE at the “super-elite” level. The present research assessed the presence of RAE in super-elite performers. Study 1 investigated RAEs in the world’s best international Test cricketers (N = 262) over a 20-year period according to a robust and stringent “super-elite” criteria. Results revealed the RAE (Q1) when all disciplines were combined. Upon closer examination, this effect was also observed for the batting and spin bowling disciplines, whereas no RAE was found for the pace bowling discipline. Study 2 investigated RAEs in super-elite rugby union players (N = 691) over a 20 year period. Results revealed the RAE for backs (Q1) and a reversal of the traditional RAE (Q4) for forwards, and when all rugby union positions were combined. These findings provide new evidence of RAEs at the super-elite level and present both inter and intra sports differences. Potential explanations for these findings are explored, owing to the survival and evolution of the fittest concepts, and the implications for future research and applied practice are presented.
Acknowledgments
This research was conducted while the corresponding author was studying for a PhD funded by the England & Wales Cricket Board. The authors would like to express thanks to the International Cricket Boards and World Rugby for their invaluable insight into how the findings may translate to the demands of their respective player pathways.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.
Supplemental material
The supplemental material for this article can be accessed here.
Notes
1 NB. The wicket-keeping discipline was excluded from the present study due to there being an insufficient sample size represented at the super-elite level to warrant analyses.
2 Victory rate (50%) reflects the combined average victory rate of each team within the top 10 rankings over a 20-game period between 2012 and 2014. This criterion was applied to account for the unique contribution of each player to overall team success, over and above the average success of their team, in recognition that a modest number of caps alone may not reflect super-elite status truly. This criterion was not applied to stringency levels 13 and 14 due to an insufficient sample size, owing to the low number of players represented at the pinnacle of super-elite status.