title: Physical Differences Between Forwards and Backs in American Collegiate Rugby Players.
abstract: La Monica, MB, Fukuda, DH, Miramonti, AA, Beyer, KS, Hoffman, MW, Boone, CH, Tanigawa, S, Wang, R, Church, DD, Stout, JR, and Hoffman, JR. Physical differences between forwards and backs in American collegiate rugby players. J Strength Cond Res 30(9): 2382-2391, 2016-This study examined the anthropometric and physical performance differences between forwards and backs in a championship-level American male collegiate rugby team. Twenty-five male rugby athletes (mean ± SD; age 20.2 ± 1.6 years) were assessed. Athletes were grouped according to position as forwards (n = 13) and backs (n = 12) and were evaluated on the basis of anthropometrics (height, weight, percent body fat [BF%]), cross-sectional area (CSA), muscle thickness (MT), and pennation angle (PA) of the vastus lateralis (VL), maximal strength (1 repetition maximum [1RM] bench press and squat), vertical jump power, midthigh pull (peak force [PF] and peak rate of force development [PRFD]), maximal aerobic capacity (V[Combining Dot Above]O2peak), agility (pro agility, T test), speed (40-m sprint), and a tethered sprint (peak velocity [PV], time to peak velocity, distance covered, and step rate and length). Comparisons between forwards and backs were analyzed using independent t-tests with Cohen's d effect size. Forwards were significantly different from backs for body weight (90.5 ± 12.4 vs. 73.7 ± 7.1 kg, p < 0.01; d = 1.60), BF% (12.6 ± 4.2 vs. 8.8 ± 2.1%, p ≤ 0.05; d = 1.10), VL CSA (38.3 ± 9.1 vs. 28.7 ± 4.7 cm, p < 0.01; d = 1.26), 1RM bench press (121.1 ± 30.3 vs. 89.5 ± 20.4 kg, p ≤ 0.05; d = 1.17), 1RM squat (164.6 ± 43.0 vs. 108.5 ± 31.5 kg, p < 0.01; d = 1.42), PF (2,244.6 ± 505.2 vs. 1,654.6 ± 338.8 N, p < 0.01; d = 1.32), PV (5.49 ± 0.25 vs. 5.14 ± 0.37 m·s, p ≤ 0.05; d = 1.04), and step length (1.2 ± 0.1 vs. 1.1 ± 0.1 m, p ≤ 0.05; d = 0.80). V[Combining Dot Above]O2peak was significantly (p ≤ 0.05, d = -1.20) higher in backs (54.9 ± 3.9 ml·kg·min) than in forwards (49.4 ± 4.4 ml·kg·min). No differences in agility performance were found between position groups. The results of this study provide descriptive information on anthropometric and performance measures on American male collegiate championship-level rugby players offering potential standards for coaches to use when developing or recruiting players.
authors.affiliation: 1Institute of Exercise Physiology and Wellness, Sport and Exercise Science, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida; and 2Faculty of Health and Sport Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan.
authors.forename: Michael B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: La Monica
authors.forename: David H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Fukuda
authors.forename: Amelia A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Miramonti
authors.forename: Kyle S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Beyer
authors.forename: Mattan W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Hoffman
authors.forename: Carleigh H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Boone
authors.forename: Satoru
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tanigawa
authors.forename: Ran
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: David D
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Church
authors.forename: Jeffrey R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Stout
authors.forename: Jay R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Hoffman
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000886:Anthropometry / Q000379:methods; D056352:Athletes; D054874:Athletic Performance / Q000502:physiology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology; D005080:Exercise Test; D005538:Football / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D053580:Muscle Strength / Q000502:physiology*; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000502:physiology*; D010809:Physical Fitness / Q000502:physiology*; D014481:United States; D014495:Universities; D055815:Young Adult