Managing player load in professional rugby union: A review of current knowledge and practices

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Author
Quarrie, K. L.
Raftery, M.
Blackie, J.
Cook, C. J.
Fuller, C. W
Gabbett, T. J.
Gray, A. J.
Gill, N.
Hennessy, L.
Kemp, S.
Lambert, M.
Nichol, R.
Mellalieu, Stephen D.
Piscione, J.
Stadelmann, J.
Tucker, R.
Date
2016Type
Article
ISSN
0306-3674
1473-0480 (ESSN)
Metadata
Show full item recordAbstract
Background The loads to which professional rugby
players are subjected has been identified as a concern by
coaches, players and administrators. In November 2014,
World Rugby commissioned an expert group to identify
the physical demands and non-physical load issues
associated with participation in professional rugby.
Objective To describe the current state of knowledge
about the loads encountered by professional rugby players
and the implications for their physical and mental health.
Findings The group defined ‘load’ as it relates to
professional rugby players as the total stressors and
demands applied to the players. In the 2013–2014
seasons, 40% of professional players appeared in 20
matches or more, and 5% of players appeared in 30
matches or more. Matches account for ∼5–11% of
exposure to rugby-related activities (matches, team and
individual training sessions) during professional
competitions. The match injury rate is about 27 times
higher than that in training. The working group surmised
that players entering a new level of play, players with
unresolved previous injuries, players who are relatively
older and players who are subjected to rapid increases in
load are probably at increased risk of injury. A mix of
‘objective’ and ‘subjective’ measures in conjunction with
effective communication among team staff and between
staff and players was held to be the best approach to
monitoring and managing player loads. While
comprehensive monitoring holds promise for individually
addressing player loads, it brings with it ethical and legal
responsibilities that rugby organisations need to address
to ensure that players’ personal information is adequately
protected.
Conclusions Administrators, broadcasters, team
owners, team staff and the players themselves have
important roles in balancing the desire to have the ‘best
players’ on the field with the ongoing health of players.
In contrast, the coaching, fitness and medical staff exert
significant control over the activities, duration and
intensity of training sessions. If load is a major risk factor
for injury, then managing training loads should be an
important element in enabling players to perform in a fit
state as often as possible.
Journal/conference proceeding
British Journal of Sports Medicine
Citation
Quarrie, K.L., Raftery, M., Blackie, J., Cook, C.J., Fuller, C.W., Gabbett, T.J., Gray, A.J., Gill, N., Hennessy, L., Kemp, S., Lambert, M., Nichol, R., Mellalieu, S.D., Piscione, J., Stadelmann, J. & Tucker, R. (2016) 'Managing player load in professional rugby union: a review of current knowledge and practices', British Journal of Sports Medicine, 51, pp. 421-427
Description
This article was published in British Journal of Sports Medicine on 09 August 2016 (online), available at http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2016-096191
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