Repeated High-Intensity Effort Ability is Critical to the Outcome of Rugby League Matches
Tim Gabbett has recently published an article examining the relationship between repeated high-intensity effort bouts and tries scored in rugby league. The findings show that the ability (or inability) to perform repeated-efforts could prove critical to the outcome of the game. A summary of the study is below. Click on the link at the bottom of the page to read the paper.
Abstract
Purpose: To examine the nature and frequency of rugby league repeated high-intensity effort (RHIE) activity in relation to tries scored and conceded in successful and unsuccessful teams.
Methods: One-hundred and eighty-five semi-professional rugby league players (mean ± SD age: 23.7 ± 3.2 yr) from 11 teams participated in this study. Global positioning system (GPS) data was collected during 21 matches. Data were analysed for the total number of RHIE bouts, efforts per bout, duration of efforts and recovery between efforts. Using notational analysis, a RHIE
bout frequency distribution, representing 0-60s, 61-120s, 121-180s, 181-240s, and 241-300s prior to scoring and conceding a try was established.
Results: Over 50% of RHIE bouts occurred within five minutes of a try. Bottom 4 teams performed a greater proportion of bouts within five minutes of a try than Top 4 teams (61.5% vs.
48.2%, effect size, ES = 0.69 ± 0.28, p=0.0001). Top 4 teams performed a greater number of RHIE bouts per conceded try (3.0 ± 2.1 vs. 1.6 ± 0.7, ES = 0.74 ± 0.51, p<0.05), while Bottom 4 teams performed a greater number of RHIE bouts per try scored (3.6 ± 2.5 vs. 2.1 ± 1.7, ES = 0.70 ± 0.71, p=0.10).
Conclusion: The majority of rugby league RHIE bouts occur at critical periods during match-play. Successful rugby league teams perform more RHIE bouts prior to conceding tries, while unsuccessful teams perform more bouts prior to scoring tries. These findings demonstrate that unsuccessful teams are required to work harder to score tries while successful teams work harder to prevent tries.