No abstract

Wearing a maxillary mouthguard does not affect the main physiological parameters generally associated with team sport performance. These results provide additional support to the policy of encouraging athletes to wear individually fitted maxillary mouthguards.

For all Rugby World Cups, the highest performing teams have the tallest backs and heaviest forwards with the highest percentage of collective experience.

The aim of the present study was to test the hypothesis that peak power output (Ppeak) sustained during maximal incremental testing would be an overall index of rowing ergometer performance over 2000 m (P2000), and to study the influence of selected physiological variables on Ppeak. A group of 54 highly trained rowers (31 heavyweight [HW] and 23 lightweight [LW] rowers) was studied. Body mass, maximal oxygen uptake ((.-)VO(2max)), oxygen consumption corresponding to a blood lactate of 4 mmol. l (-1) expressed in percentage of (.-)VO(2max) (V.O (2)La4 %), and rowing gross efficiency (RGE) were also determined during the incremental test. In the whole group Ppeak was the best predictor of P2000 (r = 0.92, p < 0.0001). Body mass (r = 0.65, p < 0.0001), V.O (2max) (r = 0.84, p < 0.0001), (.-)VO 2)La4 % (r = 0.49, p < 0.0001) and RGE (r = 0.35, p < 0.01) were significantly correlated with P2000 as well. To take the influence of body mass into account, (.-)VO(2max) was related to kg (0.57). Ppeak was significantly related to body mass (r = 0.56, p < 0.0001), (.-)VO(2max) x kg (-0.57) (r = 0.63, p < 0.0001), (.-)VO(2)La4 % (r = 0.45, p < 0.001) and RGE (r = 0.34, p < 0.05). Multiple regression analysis indicated that the above parameters taken together explained 82.8 % of Ppeak variation in the whole group. It was also demonstrated that Ppeak was the best predictor of P2000 when LW and HW groups were considered separately. It was concluded that, by integrating the main physiological factors of performance, Ppeak is an overall index of physiological rowing capacity and rowing efficiency in heterogeneous as well as in homogeneous groups. It presents the further advantage of being easily measured in the field.

The objective of the study was to describe an original approach to assessing individual workload during international rugby union competitions. The difference between positional groups and between the two halves was explored. Sixty-seven files from 30 French international rugby union players were assessed on a computerised player-tracking system (Amisco Pro(®), Sport Universal Process, Nice, France) during five international games. Each player's action was split up into exercise and recovery periods according to his individual velocity threshold. Exercise-to-recovery (E:R) period ratios and acceleration were calculated. Results indicated that about 65% of exercise periods lasted less than 4 s; half of the E:Rs were less than 1:4, and about one-third ranged between 1 and 1:4 and about 40% of exercise periods were classified as medium intensity. Most acceleration values were less than 3 m·s(-2) and started from standing or walking activity. Back row players showed the highest mean acceleration values over the game (P < 0.05). No significant decrease in physical performance was seen between the first and second halves of the games except for back rows, who showed a significant decrease in mean acceleration (P < 0.05). The analysis of results emphasised the specific activity of back rows and tended to suggest that the players' combinations of action and recovery times were optimal for preventing large decrease in the physical performance.