title: Physiological, anthropometric, and performance characteristics of rugby sevens players.
abstract: Although the characteristics of 15-a-side rugby union players have been well defined, there is little information on rugby sevens players.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The authors profiled the anthropometric, physiological, and performance qualities of elite-level rugby sevens players and quantified relationships between these characteristics.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eighteen male international rugby sevens players undertook anthropometric (body mass, height, sum of 7 skinfolds, lean-mass index), acceleration and speed (40-m sprint), muscle-power (vertical jump), repeated-sprint-ability (6 × 30-m sprint), and endurance (Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery test and treadmill VO2max) testing. Associations between measurements were assessed by correlation analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Rugby sevens players had anthropometric characteristics (body mass 89.7 ± 7.6 kg, height 1.83 ± 0.06 m, sum of 7 skinfolds 52.2 ± 11.5 mm; mean ± SD) similar to those of backs in international 15-player rugby union. Acceleration and speed (40-m sprint 5.11 ± 0.15 s), muscle-power (vertical jump 66 ± 7 cm), and endurance (VO2max 53.8 ± 3.4 mL · kg-1 · min-1) qualities were similar to, or better than, those of professional 15-a-side players. Coefficients of variation ranged from 2.5% to 22%. Relative VO2max was largely correlated with Yo-Yo distance (r = .60, .21-.82; 90% confidence interval) and moderately correlated with 40-m sprint time (r = -.46, -.75 to -.02) and repeated-sprint ability (r = -.38, -.72 to .09).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  International rugby sevens players require highly developed speed, power, and endurance to tolerate the demands of competition. The small between-athletes variability of characteristics in rugby sevens players highlights the need for relatively uniform physical and performance standards in contrast with 15-a-side players.
authors.affiliation: Dept of Physiology, Australian Institute of Sport, Canberra, Australia.
authors.forename: Dean G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Higham
authors.forename: David B
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Pyne
authors.forename: Judith M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Anson
authors.forename: Anthony
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Eddy
mesh_terms: D000054:Acceleration; D000886:Anthropometry; D054874:Athletic Performance / Q000502:physiology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005538:Football / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D053580:Muscle Strength / Q000502:physiology; D010101:Oxygen Consumption / Q000502:physiology; D010807:Physical Endurance / Q000502:physiology; D010809:Physical Fitness / Q000502:physiology; D020127:Recovery of Function / Q000502:physiology; D055815:Young Adult