High Match Load’s Relation to Decreased Well-Being During an Elite Women’s Rugby Sevens Tournament

Abstract

During rugby sevens tournaments, it is crucial to balance match load and recovery to strive for optimal performance. Purpose: To determine changes in well-being, recovery, and neuromuscular performance during and after an elite women’s rugby sevens tournament and assess the influence of match-load indicators. Methods: Twelve elite women rugby sevens players (age = 25.3 [4.1]y, height = 169.0 [4.0] cm, weight = 63.9 [4.9] kg, and body fat = 18.6% [2.7%]) performed 5 matches during a 2-d tournament of the Women’s Rugby Sevens World Series. Perceived well-being (fatigue, sleep quality, general muscle soreness, stress levels, and mood), total quality of recovery, and countermovement-jump flight time were measured on match days 1 and 2, 1 d posttournament, and 2 d posttournament. Total distance; low-, moderate-, and high-intensity running; and physical contacts during matches were derived from global positioning system–based time–motion analysis and video-based notational analysis, respectively. Internal match load was calculated by session rating of perceived exertion and playing time (rating of perceived exertion × duration). Results: Well-being (P < .001), fatigue (P < .001), general muscle soreness (P < .001), stress levels (P < .001), mood (P = .005), and total quality of recovery (P < .001) were significantly impaired after match day 1 and did not return to baseline values until 2 d posttournament. More high-intensity running was related to more fatigue (r = −.60, P = .049) and a larger number of physical contacts with more general muscle soreness (r = −.69, P = .013). Conclusion: Perceived well-being and total quality of recovery were already impaired after match day 1, although performance was maintained. High-intensity running and physical contacts were predominantly related to fatigue and general muscle soreness, respectively.

High-Intensity Acceleration and Deceleration Demands in Elite Team Sports Competitive Match Play: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Observational Studies

“…Based on these studies, it seems that there could be a large variability in the frequency of high-intensity accelerations and decelerations required to be performed during international match play. This could be owing to a range of physical (high-speed running ability, resistance to muscle damage—especially on day 1 of tournaments, neuromuscular fatigue), technical (number of contacts, tackle proficiency), psychological (well-being, perceived recovery) and situational (tournament day, score during match, opposition world ranking, travel requirements) related factors that have been shown to influence the match-activity profiles of international rugby sevens players [67–73].…”

“…Nonetheless, such a high density of high-intensity accelerations and decelerations in combination with physical contacts (rucks, mauls, scrums, tackles) is likely associated with the significant increase in muscle damage [68, 72] that coincides with deficits in neuromuscular function [68] and psychological disturbances [72, 73] following rugby sevens match play. Because rugby sevens players are required to perform multiple matches on consecutive days, with little time (~ 3 hours) for regeneration, strategies that can help enhance and maintain players’ physical and psychological readiness between matches are essential to successful performance, and have been carefully considered in recent research [74, 75].…”

Managing Load to Optimize Well-Being and Recovery During Short-Term Match Congestion in Elite Basketball

“…This not only affects training adaptations in the short term, but it could also have consequences in the long term, leading to suboptimal performance. 31 Our second finding was higher well-being and less fatigue reported by players during short-term match congestion compared with regular weeks. Well-being and fatigue scores during regular competition were 18.2 (1.60) and 3.4 (0.51), respectively, which is relatively high compared with other research.…”

Influence of Congested Match Schedules, Pre-Match Well-Being and Level of Opponents on Match Loads during World Rugby Women’s Sevens Series

“…A previous study assessing the influence of a congested match schedule during the World Rugby Women's Seven Series on a team playing five matches across a two-day tournament showed no statistical differences in match load quantified using GPS devices (total distance covered as well as distance covered at low, medium and high intensity) [5]. Similarly, another investigation showed that a two-day tournament encompassing foursix matches induced no substantial performance changes in national-level players [3].…”

“…Access date on 25 July 2021). Understanding the match loads imposed during these international tournaments seems essential to prescribe an adequate training load and implement sound recovery strategies [3][4][5]. In fact, a congested match schedule might induce a decrement in performance across consecutive matches.…”