Effect of defensive pressure on international women's rugby sevens attacking skills frequency and execution

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to determine the effect of defensive pressure on the execution of attacking skills in international women's rugby sevens. Performance analyses were conducted across 42 training camp drills during the 2012-2013 season. Training camp sessions were recorded using a video camera positioned from an aerial perspective, with the attacking team's performance analysed during game-based drills. Technical skills assessed included pass type, pass accuracy, catching, evasive moves and line breaks. Results indicated that defensive pressure had a significant effect on a player's pass type, evasive moves and line breaks (p < 0.05), but no significant effect on passing accuracy and catching skill (p > 0.05). A cutout pass (standard residual ¼ 3.3) was more likely to happen than expected by chance during no defence. An offload was more likely to occur than expected by chance during contested defence (standard residual ¼ 9.6). A line break (standard residual ¼ 4.7) and a swerve (standard residual ¼ 2.5) were more likely to happen than expected by chance during contested defence. Coaches should progressively overload the degree of defensive pressure during training. This may encourage the performance of non-conventional passes under contested defensive pressure, more closely reflecting the requisites of competition game-play.

Match Demands, Anthropometric Characteristics, and Physical Qualities of Female Rugby Sevens Athletes: A Systematic Review

“…The average Quality Index of the studies reviewed was 68 ± 13% (range 42-91). Ten studies (37%) were categorized as being of strong (20,23,26,28,37,38,41,44,45,48), 15 (56%) as moderate (3, 12, 14-18, 25, 27, 36, 43, 47, 57, 59, 61), and 2 (7%) as limited quality (13, 24). The average Quality Index for studies reporting match demands was 73 ± 11% (range 56-90), anthropometric characteristics 69 ± 13% (range 42-91), and physical qualities 64 ± 8% (range 48-79).…”

“…Since the inclusion of rugby sevens in the 2016 Olympic Games, the popularity of the game has grown rapidly worldwide (18,22,25,26,28,47,61), resulting in a number of countries creating national rugby sevens programs (61). The growth of rugby sevens has also led to an increase in scientific interest, as reflected by the emergence of rugby sevens research (7, 33).…”

Modelling the Influence of Task Constraints on Goal Kicking Performance in Australian Rules Football

“…The constraints used in this study are included in the official statistics provided to AFL clubs and commonly used by AF teams in practice. Further have been shown to influence performance in team sport literature [ 18 , 20 , 26 ]. A total of 9725 attempted shots on goal were recorded; these were further split into set shots ( n = 4939) and general play shots ( n = 4786).…”

Physical and Technical Demands and Preparatory Strategies in Female Field Collision Sports: A Scoping Review

“…Female collision field players must successfully execute numerous technical actions over the course of a game, such as kicking, catching, passing, scrummaging, handballing and tackling. Players need the capacity to execute the technical skills under pressure and fatigue [53]. For example, Rugby League athletes have been found to execute significantly more tackles than other Rugby codes (34.0 ± 20.5 per forward) but don't require the same breakdown demands so coaches might prioritise effective tackle technique and sufficient contact exposures in training to ensure athletes are adequately prepared for the rigours of competition [27].…”