title: Relationship Between Maximum Aerobic Speed Performance and Distance Covered in Rugby Union Games.
abstract: Swaby, R, Jones, PA, and Comfort, P. Relationship between maximum aerobic speed performance and distance covered in rugby union games. J Strength Cond Res 30(10): 2788-2793, 2016-Researchers have shown a clear relationship between aerobic fitness and the distance covered in professional soccer, although no research has identified such a relationship in rugby union. Therefore, the aim of the study was to identify whether there was a relationship between maximal aerobic speed (MAS) and the distance covered in rugby union games. Fourteen professional rugby union players (age = 26 ± 6 years, height = 1.90 ± 0.12 m, mass = 107.1 ± 24.1 kg) participated in this investigation. Each player performed a MAS test on 3 separate occasions during the preseason, to determine reliability and provide baseline data, and participated in 6 competitive games during the early stages of the season. Game data were collected using global positioning system technology. No significant difference (p > 0.05) in total distance covered was observed between games. Relationships between players' MAS and the average distance covered from 6 competitive games were explored using Pearson's correlation coefficients, with MAS performance showing a strong relationship with distance covered during match play (r = 0.746, p < 0.001). Significantly greater (p = 0.001, Cohen's d = 2.29) distances were covered by backs (6,544 ± 573 m) compared with the forwards (4,872 ± 857 m) during a game. Similarly, backs recorded a significantly (p = 0.001, Cohen's d = 2.20) higher MAS (4.9 ± 0.13 m·s) compared with the forwards (4.2 ± 0.43 m·s). Results of the study illustrate the importance of developing high levels of aerobic fitness to increase the distance that the athlete covers in the game.
authors.affiliation: 1Sale Sharks RFU, Carrington, United Kingdom; and 2Human Performance Laboratory, Directorate of Sport, Exercise and Physiotherapy, University of Salford, Salford, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Rick
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Swaby
authors.forename: Paul A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Comfort
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D056352:Athletes; D054874:Athletic Performance / Q000502:physiology*; D005538:Football / Q000502:physiology*; D040362:Geographic Information Systems; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010809:Physical Fitness / Q000502:physiology; D012420:Running / Q000502:physiology*