RT Journal Article
T1 In-season assesment of sprint speed and sprint momentum in rugby players according to the age category and playing position
T2 Evaluación durante la temporada de la velocidad y el impulso del sprint en jugadores de rugby según la categoría de edad y la posición de juego
A1 Zabaloy, Santiago
A1 Giráldez, Julián
A1 Gazzo, Federico
A1 Villaseca-Vicuña, Rodrigo
A1 Gálvez González, Javier
K1 Team sports
K1 Performance
K1 Assesment
K1 Velocity
K1 Rugby
AB The purpose of this study was to investigate the interval in which male rugby union players reach maximum speed in a 50 m sprint according to age categories and playing positions. This study also aimed to establish the optimal distance for the assessment of sprint speed and to compare the differences in anthropometrics, sprint and sprint momentum according to the age and playing position. Three hundred amateur rugby players performed anthropometric and physical fitness tests (10, 20, 30, 40 and 50 m sprint times, acceleration, velocity, and sprint momentum) during the in-season period. Participants from different age categories (under 14’s (U14), under 16’s (U16), under 18’s (U18) and Seniors) and positions (forwards and backs) volunteered to participate in this study. Results revealed that most of the U14 and U16 players (58.2% and 55.3%, respectively) reached maximum speed in the interval between 20 and 30 m with lower sprint speed than U18 players and Seniors (44% and 49%, respectively). Comparisons between each interval showed significant differences for all U14 and U16 forwards, suggesting the fastest interval was between 20-30 m. No significant differences were found for U16 backs, U18 and Seniors, between sprint times in the 20-30 m and 3040 m intervals. In addition, between-group comparisons, demonstrated significant (p < 0.001) differences in U14 when compared to U16, U18 and Seniors in anthropometric variables, sprint times and sprint momentum. In conclusion, this study suggests that the optimal distance for the assessment of sprint speed of rugby players is 30 m and that body mass, sprint momentum and sprint speed clearly discriminate between players of different age categories and playing positions.
PB Termedia
YR 2021
FD 2021-01-01
LK https://hdl.handle.net/10433/22484
UL https://hdl.handle.net/10433/22484
LA en
NO Zabaloy, S., Giráldez, J., Gazzo, F., Villaseca-Vicuña, R., & Galvez-González, J. (2021). In-Season Assessment of Sprint Speed and Sprint Momentum in Rugby Players According To the Age Category and Playing Position. Journal of human kinetics, 77, 274–286. https://doi.org/10.2478/hukin-2021-0025
NO Departamento de Deporte e Informática. Universidad Pablo de Olavide.
DS RIO
RD May 1, 2026