The advent of sports technology has led to large, high-dimensional, performance data sets, which pose decision-making challenges for coaches and performance analysts. If large data sets are managed poorly inaccurate and biased decision-making may actually be enabled. This paper outlines a process for capturing, organising, and analysing a large performance data set in professional netball. 250 ANZ Championship matches, from the 2012-2015 seasons, where analysed. Self-organising maps and a k-means clustering algorithm were used to describe seven games-styles, which were used in a case study to devise a strategy for an upcoming opponent. The team implemented a centre-pass (CP) defence strategy based on the opponent's previous successful and unsuccessful performances. This strategy involved allowing the oppositions Wing-attack to receive the CP while allowing their Goal-attack to take the second pass. The strategy was monitored live by the coaches on a tablet computer via a custom-built dashboard, which tracks each component of the strategy. The process provides an alternative to use of conventional performance indicators and demonstrates a method for handling large high-dimensional performance data sets. Further work is needed to identify an ecologically valid method for variable selection.

Despite the popularity of performance analysis with high performance rugby environments, limited attention has been paid to understanding how coaches and practitioners use this information to impact on performance. The aim of this case study was to gain an in-depth understanding of how a professional rugby team-playing in New Zealand's ITM cup competition-uses the post-match and pre-match meetings to debrief after performance and preview prior to future performance. Multiple ethnographic techniques were employed to generate a comprehensive picture of the phenomena, including participant observation, video recordings, formal and informal interviews, field notes, descriptive statistics and document analysis. Each meeting was transcribed separately and analysed using an inductive content analysis process and themes were identified. The case study explores how four key factors-the role of the coach-facilitator, player engagement, leadership and the balance between reflection and preparation-impact on the debrief/preview process. The findings reveal that while considerable emphasis was placed on the importance of player learning and engagement in team meetings, delivery was often ad hoc, coach-driven and results-focused.

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