The Physical Preparation of Players for the Rugby World Cup

The quadrennial showcase of rugby is the Rugby World Cup (RWC), with the 10th Cup being held in France in September and October 2023. The RWC is the third most popular global sporting event after the soccer World Cup and the summer Olympic games. The 2022 Women’s RWC final drew a record crowd of 45,000 in New Zealand. World Rugby has the vision of a global sport for all; it can be played by individuals of all sizes, genders, and abilities. The heart of the game centers on possession of the ball, the expression of free running, and the physicality of tackling and contact

Measuring Recovery: An Adapted Brief Assessment of Mood (BAM+) Compared to Biochemical and Power Output Alterations

ObjectivesBiochemical (e.g., creatine kinase (CK)) and neuromuscular (e.g., peak power output (PPO)) markers of recovery are expensive and require specialist equipment. Perceptual measures are an effective alternative, yet most validated scales are too long for daily use.DesignThis study utilises a longitudinal multi-level design to test an adapted Brief Assessment of Mood (BAM + ), with four extra items and a 100 mm visual analogue scale to measure recovery.MethodsElite under-21 academy soccer players (N = 11) were monitored across five games with data (BAM+, CK and PPO) collected for each game at 24 hours pre, 24 hours and 48 hours post-match. Match activity data for each participant was also collected using GPS monitors on players.ResultsBAM+, CK and PPO had significant (p < .05) linear and quadratic growth curves across time and games that matched the known time reports of fatigue and recovery. Multi-level linear modelling (MLM) with random intercepts for ‘participant’ and ‘game’ indicated only CK significantly contributed to the variance of BAM+ scores (p < .05). Significant correlations (p < .01) were found between changes in BAM+ scores from baseline at 24 and 48 hours post-match for total distance covered per minute, high intensity distance covered per minute, and total number of sprints per minute.ConclusionsVisual and inferential results indicate that the BAM+ appears effective for monitoring longitudinal recovery cycles in elite level athletes. Future research is needed to confirm both the scales reliability and validity