BACKGROUNDː The purpose of this study was to compare the match demands of officiating 15-a-side rugby union at different competitive levels.METHODSː Data was collected using Global Navigation Satellite Systems from 21 referees during 82 competitive rugby union matches across three different competitive levels: (1) professional, (2) semi-professional, and (3) amateur.RESULTSː Compared with referees at the professional and semi-professional levels, referees at the amateur level covered less total distance (p = 0.005). Additionally, these referees covered less distance jogging, and at low and medium intensity (all p < 0.05), and had less time between repeated high-intensity efforts (p < 0.001). Furthermore, compared with referees at the semi-professional and amateur levels, referees at the professional level had a higher sprint duration and covered more distance sprinting (all p < 0.05), and achieved a higher maximal speed during the longest repeated high-intensity effort or "worst-case scenario" (p = 0.026). The professional level referees also displayed a lower average heart rate (p < 0.001), spent a higher percentage of time at <60% HRmax (p < 0.001), and a lower percentage of time between 71 and 80% HRmax (p = 0.004). Finally, external and internal load were strongly correlated for referees at the semi-professional level only (r = 0.75, p < 0.001).CONCLUSIONSː Overall, the findings demonstrate that refereeing 15-a-side rugby union is more physically demanding at higher competitive levels, particularly in terms of highintensity efforts. The results provide important information for practitioners involved in the physical preparation and training of rugby union referees.
The aim of this study was to compare the physical demands of officiating across different competitive levels in rugby sevens. An observational design was used involving twenty-seven referees (26 males, 1 female, age: 27 ± 6 years, body mass (mean ± SD): 78.5 ± 9.3 kg, height: 179 ± 5 cm). GPS data was collected across a total of 114 matches during five separate rugby sevens tournaments played in England -between May and July 2018 -categorized into four competitive levels: (1) international, (2) professional, (3) semi-professional, and (4) amateur. Compared with referees officiating at the international, professional, and semi-professional levels, referees officiating at the amateur level covered less total (p < 0.001) and relative distance (p < 0.001). Additionally, these referees covered more distance walking and jogging (p < 0.001). Amateur referees also completed fewer sprints (p = 0.006), and repeated high-intensity efforts per game (p < 0.001), and spent longer between repeated high-intensity efforts (p = 0.015). Finally, for the amateur referees, the duration of the longest repeated high-intensity bout (i.e., worst case scenario) was lower (p < 0.001), with less distance covered (p < 0.001), and fewer high-intensity accelerations (p < 0.001). Refereeing rugby sevens is therefore more physically demanding at higher competitive levels, particularly in terms of high-intensity efforts. The results provide vital information for practitioners involved in the physical preparation of rugby sevens referees.
Concussion is the most common match injury in rugby union. Some players wear
padded headgear, but whether this protects against concussion is unclear. In
professional male rugby union players, we examined: (i) the association
between the use of headgear and match concussion injury incidence, and (ii)
whether wearing headgear influenced time to return to play following
concussion. Using a nested case-control within a cohort study, four seasons
(2013–2017) of injury data from 1117 players at the highest level of
rugby union in England were included. Cases were physician-diagnosed
concussion injuries. Controls were other contact injuries (excluding all
head injuries). We determined headgear use by viewing video footage. Sixteen
percent of cases and controls wore headgear. Headgear use had no significant
effect on concussion injury incidence (adjusted odds ratio=1.05,
95% CI: 0.71–1.56). Median number of days absent for
concussion whilst wearing headgear was 8 days, compared with 7 days without
headgear. Having sustained a concussion in the current or previous season
increased the odds of concussion more than four-fold (odds
ratio=4.55, 95% CI: 3.77–5.49). Wearing headgear was
not associated with lower odds of concussions or a reduced number of
days' absence following a concussion.
This study compared the Yo-Yo intermittent recovery level 1 (YYIR1) and Bronco tests among amateur rugby referees and examined whether the results of these tests were associated with actual match demands. Sixty-seven (65 male, 2 female; 30 ± 11 years; 77.4 ± 13.1 kg; 175 ± 8 cm) amateur rugby referees participated. Match demands were assessed using Global Navigation Satellite System technology and heart rate (HR) recordings. Significant correlations (all p < 0.05) were found between the YYIR1 and Bronco test results ( r: −0.88). The YYIR1 test was significantly correlated with match demands including total ( r: 0.56) and high-intensity ( r: 0.70) distance covered, maximal speed reached ( r: 0.73), and the number of high-intensity accelerations ( r: 0.54) and sprints ( r: 0.68) completed. Furthermore, YYIR1 test maximum HR was significantly correlated with maximum HR ( r: 0.72), average HR ( r: 0.54), and internal load ( r: 0.55) during match play. In contrast, the Bronco test was only significantly correlated with match demands including maximal speed reached ( r: −0.68) and the number of high-intensity accelerations ( r: −0.61). Moreover, Bronco test maximum HR was significantly correlated with maximal ( r: 0.84) and average HR ( r: 0.73) during match play. The results suggest that while the YYIR1 and Bronco tests might both be efficient tools to guide training prescription, the YYIR1 test might be as the more valuable test to assess match fitness in rugby referees.
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