The prevalence, influential factors and mechanisms of relative age effects in UK Rugby League

Abstract

Relative age effects (RAEs), reflecting observed inequalities in participation and attainment as a result of annual age‐grouping policies in youth sport, are common in most team sports. The aims of this study were to determine if and when RAEs become apparent in Rugby League, determine how influential variables (e.g., gender) lead and clarify whether player retention at junior representative levels can explain persistent RAEs. Player data were collected for the male and female community games ranging from Under 7s to Senior (N=15 060) levels, junior representative selections (i.e., Regional) and professional players (N=298). Chi‐square analyses found significant (P<0.05) uneven birth date distributions beginning at the earliest stages of the game and throughout into senior professionals. In junior representative selections, 47.0% of Regional and 55.7% of National representative players were born in Quartile 1, with RAE risk increasing with performance level. Gender and nationality were also found to moderate RAE risk. When tracking representative juniors, over 50% were retained for similar competition the following season. Findings clearly demonstrate that RAEs exist throughout Rugby League with early selection, performance level and retention processes, appearing to be key contributing factors responsible for RAE persistence.

An Investigation into the Use of a Movement Assessment Protocol for Under-14 Rugby League Players in a Talent Development Environment

“…Although this is surprising based on the general relationships between age and fitness performance, it suggests that talent identification and selection processes make selections based on advanced anthropometric characteristics rather than physical performance. These findings emphasise the issue in a talent identification environment when the relatively older player is more likely to be selected [13,28]. Greater anthropometric characteristics are desirable to coaches, who perceive them as beneficial to physiological performance within the sport [14,29].…”

“…However, inequalities favouring the player born earlier in the year have been evident with regards to participation in the game and subsequent selection to representative squads [13,27]. A relatively older player can often measure higher anthropometrically than their younger counterparts [13]. This may then lead to bias in their selection over their younger peers due to the coaches' perceptions of positive links between greater size and increased performance within the game [27].…”

“…This may then lead to bias in their selection over their younger peers due to the coaches' perceptions of positive links between greater size and increased performance within the game [27]. However, other evidence suggests relatively high anthropometric measurements do not always lead to increased physiological performance [13].…”

“…Evidence of the RAE has been found in a range of sports [27], including rugby league [13]. This is not the case in sports where movement skills are suggested to play a more important role than physiological fitness [29,30].…”

“…Nike SPARQ Rugby protocol, [12]). Aligned to this, previous researchers predominantly explored the use of fitness measures including speed, agility, power, strength and aerobic capacity [9,[13][14][15]. This assessment continuum disregards the suggestion that movement development should be viewed from a lifespan perspective and should continue through adolescence alongside physical development [7].…”