Performance indicators that discriminate between winning and losing teams in male university rugby sevens teams

ABSTRACT

Understanding which performance indicators (PIs) positively affect the success of rugby sevens (RS), teams at university level might assist the coaching staff to optimally prepare for future matches and increase the likelihood of success. This study aimed to determine PIs that discriminate between winning and losing male University-level RS teams. Twenty (n = 20) round-robin matches of the 2018 Varsity sports rugby sevens tournament were analysed. A linear mixed model was used to determine statistically significant differences set at p < 0.05 while effect size was reported according to Cohen’s d. Results revealed that various PIs discriminated between winning and losing RS teams. Therefore, specific identified tactical aspects of RS should be prioritised to optimise performance.

KEYWORDS:

• Performance analysis
• performance indicators
• rugby sevens

Practical implication

Coaches and sports scientists should prioritise time during training sessions on situations that improve the ability of players to create line breaks, win line-out balls, as well as secure possession from restarts.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.