Notational analysis of evasive agility skills executed by attacking ball carriers among elite rugby players of the 2015 Rugby World Cup

Nur Naqiyah Mohamad Zahidi, Shariman Ismadi Ismail

Abstract


The role of skill in task execution among elite rugby players has become the focus of numerous researchers.  We aimed to analyse the frequency, the most highly utilized and successful as well as unsuccessful attempts of evasive agility skills executed by attacking ball carriers among elite rugby players. The analysis was based on 32 matches played during the 2015 Rugby World Cup matches with the sample being attacking ball carriers among the Top 3 and Bottom 3 Elite Rugby Teams. It was shown that attacking ball carriers among the Top 3 displayed a 59% (straight), 39% (side-step) and 2% (crossover-step) while the Bottom 3 exhibited a 45% (straight), 52% (side-step) and 3% (crossover-step) of these movement patterns. Alternatively, the independent sample t-test revealed that there was no significant difference in the frequency of the execution of the side-step and crossover-step (p>0.05) between the two team categories while a significant difference was observed for these teams for the straight evasive agility skill (p=0.012). The straight evasive agility skill was the most frequently executed and highly utilized by the Top 3 though portraying a high rate of being unsuccessful (29% successful rate).Conversely, the side-step evasive movement pattern was the most frequently executed and highly utilized by the Bottom 3 (21% successful rate).These results suggest that the successful rate of the evasive agility skills executed may not be the determining factor among elite rugby players and the reasons underlying this observation may need further clarification.

Keywords


Agility, ball carriers, crossover-step, evasive, phase outcomes, side-step, straight

Full Text:

PDF

References


Borrie, A., Jonsson, G. K., & Magnusson, M. S. (2002). Temporal pattern analysis and its applicability in sport: an explanation and exemplar data. Journal of Sports Sciences, 20(10), 845-852.

Bracewell, P.J. (2003). Monitoring meaningful rugby ratings. Journal of Sports Sciences, 21,611-620.

Bradshaw, R. J., Young, W. B., Russell, A., & Burge, P. (2011). Comparison of offensive agility techniques in Australian rules football. Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport, 14(1), 65-69.

Cowley, H. R., Ford, K. R., Myer, G. D., Kernozek, T. W., & Hewett, T. E. (2006). Differences in neuromuscular strategies between landing and cutting tasks in female basketball and soccer athletes. Journal of Athletic Training, 41(1), 67.

Duthie, G. M., Pyne, D. B., Marsh, D. J., & Hooper, S. L. (2006). Sprint patterns in Rugby Union players during competition. The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 20(1), 208-214.

Engelbrecht, L. (2011). Sport-specific video-based reactive agility training in rugby union players (Doctoral dissertation, Stellenbosch University).

Hendricks, S., Roode, B., Matthews, B., & Lambert, M. (2013). Defensive Strategies in Rugby Union 1, 2. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 117(1).

Hollander, den S., Brown, J., Lambert, M., Treu, P., & Hendricks, M. S. (2016). Skills associated with line breaks in Elite Rugby Union. Journal of Sports Science and Medicine, 15, 501-508.

Hughes, M. D. & Bartlett, R. M. (2002). The use of performance indicators in performance analysis. Journal of Sports Sciences, 20(10), 739-754.

James, N., Mellalieu, S., & Jones, N. (2005). The development of position-specific performance indicators in professional Rugby Union. Journal of Sports Sciences, 23(1), 63-72.

Jones, N. M., Mellalieu, S. D., & James, N. (2004). Team performance indicators as a function of winning and losing in Rugby Union. International Journal of Performance Analysis in Sport, 4(1), 61-71.

Laird, P., & Lorimer, R. (2004). An examination of try scoring in Rugby Union: A review of international rugby statistics. International Journal of Performance Analysis in Sport, 4(1), 72-80.

López-González, D. E. & Miarka, B. (2013). Reliability of a new time-motion analysis model based on technical-tactical interactions for wrestling competition. International Journal of Wrestling Science, 3(1), 21-34.

Miles, K. (1995). The Handbook of Rugby. London: Pelham Books.

Ortega, E., Villarejo, D., & Palao, J. M. (2009). Differences in game statistics between winning and losing rugby teams in the six nations tournament. Journal of Sports Science and Medicine, 8(4), 523.

Rand, M. K. & Ohtsuki, T. (2000). EMG analysis of lower limb muscles in humans during quick change in running directions. Gait & Posture, 12(2), 169-183.

Sayers, M. G. L., & Washington-King, J. (2005). Characteristics of effective ball carries in super 12 rugby. International Journal of Performance Analysis in Sport, 5(3), 92-106.

Savelsbergh, G. J., Van der Kamp, J., Williams, A. M., & Ward, P. (2005). Anticipation and visual search behaviour in expert soccer goalkeepers. Ergonomics, 48(11-14), .

Taylor, J. B., Mellalieu, S. D., & James, N. (2007). A comparison of individual and unit tactical behaviour and team strategy in professional soccer. International Journal of Performance Analysis in Sport, 5(2), 87-101.

Van Rooyen, M. K. & Noakes, T. D. (2006). An analysis of the movements, both duration and field location, of 4 teams in the 2003 Rugby World Cup. International Journal of Performance Analysis in Sport, 6(1), 40-56.

Wheeler, K. W. (2009). Agility Skill Execution in Rugby Union. Ph.D. Dissertation. University of the Sunshine Coast.

Wheeler, K. W., Askew, C. D., & Sayers, M. G. L. (2010). Effective attacking strategies in Rugby Union. European Journal of Sports Science 10(4), 237-242.

Wheeler, K. W. & Sayers, M. G. L. (2009). Contact skill predicting tackle-break in Rugby Union. International Journal of Sports Science and Coaching, 4(4), 535-544.

Young, W., Hawken, M., & McDonald, L. (1996). Relationship between speed, agility and strength qualities in Australian Rules Football. Strength Conditioning Coach, 4(4), 3-6.

Young, W. B., McDowell, M. H., & Scarlett, B. J. (2001). Specificity of sprint and agility training methods. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 15(3), 315-319.




DOI: https://doi.org/10.15282/mohe.v7i1.171