Whole, half and peak running demands during club and international youth rugby league match-play

ABSTRACT

Objectives: To quantify, and compare, the whole- half- and peak-match running demands of professional club and international under-16 rugby league match-play.Methods: Four professional Club (n = 30) and two International (n = 23) under-16 matches were analysed using 10-Hz micro-technology units, with players analysed according to positional groups. Absolute (m) and relative (RD; m.min^–1) total, high speed (>5 m·s^–1; HSR) and sprint (>7 m·s^–1) distance were analysed for whole- and half-match alongside maximum velocity (VMAX; m.s^–1). Peak running demands were determined via moving averages of RD for 10, 30, and 60- to 600-seconds.Results: International forwards had most likely higher whole match relative sprint and VMAX, and 1st half RD than club level, and had very likely higher peak running demands at 60-, 180- and 600-second durations. For backs, whole game RD was most likely higher and total and sprint distance was likely higher at club level matches. Peak RD was also very likely higher for club backs at 10- and 60-seconds. Conclusions: The running demand differences between club and international level at the under-16 age group are position dependent, with greater running demands at club level match play for backs, but at the international level of forwards.

KEYWORDS:

• Team sports
• match demands
• GPS
• youth development
• rugby

Practical applications

The differences between levels of play highlighted provide coaches and practitioners with indicators of how the running demands change when progressing players to higher levels. For example, forwards competing at the lower levels require an exposure to a higher intensity of locomotor activity during training to prepare for the increased demands at international level. When coaches are selecting or preparing players for international match play, in addition to the physical fitness of players, other factors (technical, tactical, decision making) should be considered, given the observed higher running demands at the lower level. The short-duration (i.e. 10- and 30-s) peak running demands provide duration specific running intensities for running conditioning drills with repeated exposure, and the longer durations (i.e. 10 min) can be used to monitor the intensity of coach led rugby drills to replicate match-intensity whilst focusing on technical-tactical ability.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.