Tackle and ruck technique proficiency within academy and senior club rugby union

J Sports Sci. 2019 Nov;37(22):2578-2587. doi: 10.1080/02640414.2019.1648121. Epub 2019 Jul 29.

Abstract

This study examined the validity of a tool that assesses tackle and ruck technique in training and established reference data for tackle, ball-carry and ruck technique at different levels of play in rugby union. One hundred and thirty-one amateur rugby union players; 37 senior, 51 first-grade academy and 43 second-grade academy players, participated in a two-on-two contact drill. The drill was filmed and the players' tackle, ball-carry and ruck technique were assessed using standardized technical criteria. Senior level players scored significantly higher in all three assessments; tackle technique senior vs academy 1st (p < 0.01, effect size (ES) = 0.7, moderate), senior vs academy 2nd (p < 0.01, ES = 0.7, moderate); ball-carry technique senior vs academy 1st (p < 0.01, ES = 0.6, moderate), senior vs academy 2nd (p < 0.01, ES = 0.8, moderate); ruck technique senior vs academy 1st (p < 0.01, ES = 0.7, moderate), senior vs academy 2nd (p < 0.01, ES = 0.4, small). These findings emphasize the importance of developing contact technique to allow players to progress to higher levels, and provide validity to an assessment tool which can facilitate this process.

Keywords: Contact technique; skill assessment; testing; training.

MeSH terms

  • Athletic Performance / physiology*
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Exercise Test / methods*
  • Football / physiology*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Motor Skills / physiology*
  • Reference Values
  • Reproducibility of Results
  • Time and Motion Studies
  • Video Recording