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Table 2 The speed threshold and PlayerLoad characteristics of young rugby union players during match-play within England

From: Applied Sport Science for Male Age-Grade Rugby Union in England

Study

Level of play

Age

Position

Sample size (n)

Speed thresholds

PL

PLslow

Threshold 1

Threshold 2

Threshold 3

Threshold 4

Cunningham et al. [35]

       

> 5 m s−1

  

International

U20

Forwards

21 (81)

   

284 ± 135 m

  

Backs

19 (80)

   

656 ± 183 m

  

Phibbs et al. [9]

     

< 61% MSS

61–90% MSS

≥ 90% MSS

AU

 

Academy

U18

Forwards

16

 

3901 ± 1202 m

220 ± 111 m

5 ± 10 m

420 ± 130 AU

 

Backs

15

 

4489 ± 720 m

280 ± 96 m

15 ± 15 m

431 ± 98 AU

 

School

U18

Forwards

15

 

3698 ± 1217 m

138 ± 114 m

0 ± 1 m

399 ± 141 AU

 

Backs

15

 

4098 ± 918 m

359 ± 182 m

19 ± 24 m

378 ± 86 AU

 

Read et al. [5]

    

0–1.94 m s−1

1.95–3.33 m s−1

3.34–5.83 m s−1

> 5.84 m s−1

AU

AU

School

U16

Forwards

16

2007 ± 218 m

1278 ± 291 m

993 ± 295 m

87 ± 86 m

456 ± 47 AU

231 ± 24 AU

Backs

15

2011 ± 304 m

865 ± 325 m

843 ± 342 m

165 ± 101 m

332 ± 76 AU

152 ± 34 AU

U18

Forwards

18

2099 ± 546 m

1044 ± 318 m

995 ± 370 m

94 ± 93 m

437 ± 96 AU

224 ± 51 AU

Backs

16

2307 ± 647 m

854 ± 264 m

1009 ± 444 m

319 ± 176 m

395 ± 118 AU

172 ± 49 AU

University

 

Forwards

17

2235 ± 699 m

1271 ± 400 m

1112 ± 442 m

64 ± 65 m

504 ± 157 AU

250 ± 76 AU

 

Backs

14

2820 ± 503 m

1256 ± 219 m

1460 ± 357 m

353 ± 147 m

500 ± 80 AU

213 ± 31 AU

      

0–3.33 m s−1

> 3.34 m s−1

 

AU·min−-1

AU·min−1

Read et al. [3]

County

U16

Forwards

20

 

55.2 ± 4.1*

22.6 ± 2.9*

 

7.3 ± 0.6**

3.1 ± 0.3**

Backs

15

 

52.1 ± 5.1*

27.7 ± 7.7*

 

6.8 ± 1.2**

2.4 ± 0.3**

U18

Forwards

21

 

54.9 ± 4.3*

20.2 ± 6.9*

 

7.6 ± 1.0**

3.3 ± 0.3**

Backs

19

 

53.2 ± 5.4*

25.5 ± 4.6*

 

7.2 ± 1.1**

2.7 ± 0.4**

U20

Forwards

18

 

50.7 ± 4.8*

14.5 ± 3.4*

 

6.9 ± 0.7**

3.4 ± 0.4**

Backs

19

 

50.4 ± 6.2*

20.6 ± 3.9*

 

6.1 ± 1.0**

2.6 ± 0.4**

  1. Data are displayed as mean ± SD. Sample size is the number of participants in the study, followed by the total number of observations in brackets if different
  2. PL PlayerLoad, PLslow PlayerLoad slow, MSS maximal sprint speed, AU arbitrary units
  3. *m min−1
  4. **AU min−1