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Table 6 Rugby Union peak movement characteristics

From: The Use of Global Positioning and Accelerometer Systems in Age-Grade and Senior Rugby Union: A Systematic Review

Study

Participants

Average duration (s) or time epoch (s)

Relative distance (m.min−1)

High-speed running (m or m.min−1)

Cunningham et al. [3]

119 elite professional players from three different international performance squads.

60 rolling average and fixed

Rolling Average

Fwds 156.5 ± 19.0 m.min−1

Backs 177.4 ± 20.6 m.min−1

Fixed

Fwds 139.0 ± 38.2 m.min−1

Backs 160.1 ± 21.1 m.min−1

Rolling Average

Fwds 42.5 ± 20.6 m.min−1

Backs 69.9 ± 21.8 m.min−1

Fixed

Fwds 38.2 ± 17.5 m.min−1

Backs 63.2 ± 20.2 m.min−1

120 rolling average and fixed

Rolling Average

Fwds 123.7 ± 15.4 m.min−1

Backs 140.1 ± 16.3 m.min−1

Fixed

Fwds 111.1 ± 22 m.min−1

Backs 126.9 ± 16.7 m.min−1

Rolling Average

Fwds 24.9 ± 15.0 m.min−1

Backs 42.6 ± 15.7 m.min−1

Fixed

Fwds 22.0 ± 13.3 m.min−1

Backs 36.9 ± 14.0 m.min−1

180 rolling average and fixed

Rolling Average

Fwds 109.2 ± 14.6 m.min−1

Backs 123.4 ± 15.4 m.min−1

Fixed

Fwds 96.9. ± 16.1 m.min−1

Backs 110.6 ± 15.0 m.min−1

Rolling Average

Fwds 18.9 ± 14.0 m.min−1

Backs 32.7 ± 14.0 m.min−1

Fixed

Fwds 16.1 ± 13.3 m.min−1

Backs 27.4 ± 12.0 m.min−1

240 rolling average and fixed

Rolling Average

Fwds 101.0 ± 12.9 m.min−1

Backs 114.2 ± 14.4 m.min−1

Fixed

Fwds 90.6 ± 13.2 m.min−1

Backs 102.0 ± 13.4 m.min−1

Rolling Average

Fwds 15.4 ± 12.1 m.min−1

Backs 27.6 ± 12.2 m.min−1

Fixed

Fwds 13.2 ± 10.0 m.min−1

Backs 22.8 ± 10.1 m.min−1

300 rolling average and fixed

Rolling Average

Fwds 95.4 ± 12.2 m.min−1

Backs 107.5 ± 13.3 m.min−1

Fixed

Fwds 85.7 ± 10.9 m.min−1

Backs 96.5 ± 13.6 m.min−1

Rolling Average

Fwds 13.1 ± 10.2 m.min−1

Backs 24.0 ± 10.8 m.min−1

Fixed

Fwds 10.9 ± 7.3 m.min−1

Backs 20.0 ± 8.5 m.min−1

Delaney et al. [6]

67 players from two international rugby union teams.

60 rolling average

Tight Fwds 154 ± 210 m.min−1

Loose Fwds 169 ± 230 m.min−1

Half backs 184 ± 280 m.min−1

OB 175 ± 220 m.min−1

 

120 rolling average

Tight Fwds 122 ± 170 m.min−1

Loose Fwds 135 ± 160 m.min−1

Half backs 147 ± 210 m.min−1

OB 137 ± 160 m.min−1

 

180 rolling average

Tight Fwds 105 ± 150 m.min−1

Loose Fwds 117 ± 140 m.min−1

Half backs 126 ± 180 m.min−1

OB 119 ± 130 m.min−1

 

240 rolling average

Tight Fwds 96 ± 130 m.min−1

Loose Fwds 108 ± 130 m.min−1

Half backs 117 ± 160 m.min−1

OB 109 ± 120 m.min−1

 

300 rolling average

Tight Fwds 91 ± 120 m.min−1

Loose Fwds 102 ± 110 m.min−1

Half backs 108 ± 150 m.min−1

OB 103 ± 100 m.min−1

 

360 rolling average

Tight Fwds 88 ± 120 m.min−1

Loose Fwds 97 ± 110 m.min−1

Half backs 103 ± 140 m.min−1

OB 98 ± 100 m.min−1

 

420 rolling average

Tight Fwds 85 ± 110 m.min−1

Loose Fwds 94 ± 110 m.min−1

Half backs 100 ± 130 m.min−1

OB 95 ± 100 m.min−1

 

480 rolling average

Tight Fwds 82 ± 110 m.min−1

Loose Fwds 92 ± 110 m.min−1

Half backs 97 ± 120 m.min−1

OB 93 ± 90 m.min−1

 

540 rolling average

Tight Fwds 81 ± 110 m.min−1

Loose Fwds 90 ± 110 m.min−1

Half backs 95 ± 120 m.min−1

OB 90 ± 90 m.min−1

 

600 rolling average

Tight Fwds 79 ± 110 m.min−1

Loose Fwds 88 ± 110 m.min−1

Half backs 93 ± 120 m.min−1

OB 89 ± 90 m.min−1

 

Flanagan et al. [44]

42 rugby union U20 international players across two teams.

5-min rolling period

Prop—58 ± 3.8 m.min−1

Hooker—58 ± 8 m.min−1

SR—56 ± 7 m.min−1

BR—60 ± 9 m.min−1

SH—71 ± 4 m.min−1

FH—69 ± 4 m.min−1

Centre—66 ± 7 m.min−1

B3—67 ± 6 m.min−1

Prop—42 ± 42 m

Hooker—88 ± 88 m

SR—55 ± 66 m

BR—153 ± 65 m

SH—191 ± 80 m

FH—123 ± 29 m

Centre—363 ± 120 m

B3—514 ± 153 m

Pollard et al. [58]

22 players from an international rugby team.

30–60 ball in play

Fwds 106.9 ± 5.6 m.min−1

Backs 109.6 ± 11.4 m.min−1

Fwds 10.9 ± 4.7 m.min−1

Backs 20.3 ± 5.7 m.min−1

61–90 ball in play

Fwds 104.6 ± 6.1 m.min−1

Backs 115.1 ± 11.4 m.min−1

Fwds 7.0 ± 4.1 m.min−1

Backs 18.9 ± 5.1 m.min−1

> 90 ball in play

Fwds 105.0 ± 8.5 m.min−1

Backs 110.9 ± 9.5 m.min−1

Fwds 5.8 ± 2.7 m.min−1

Backs 15.6 ± 5.8 m.min−1

Read et al. [61]

202 rugby union players across 7 regional academies in England.

15 rolling average

FR 245 ± 32 m.min−1

SR 264 ± 29 m.min−1

BR 280 ± 36 m.min−1

SH 298 ± 44 m.min−1

IB 297 ± 33 m.min−1

OB 299 ± 42 m.min−1

 

30 rolling average

FR 193 ± 21 m.min−1

SR 207 ± 19 m.min−1

BR 217 ± 23 m.min−1

SH 233 ± 25 m.min−1

IB 233 ± 23 m.min−1

OB 244 ± 30 m.min−1

 

60 rolling average

FR 154 ± 17 m.min−1

SR 165 ± 12 m.min−1

BR 168 ± 19 m.min−1

SH 185 ± 20 m.min−1

IB 172 ± 19 m.min−1

OB 170 ± 22 m.min−1

 

120 rolling average

FR 121 ± 16 m.min−1

SR 130 ± 12 m.min−1

BR 132 ± 15 m.min−1

SH 146 ± 19 m.min−1

IB 135 ± 16 m.min−1

OB 133 ± 17 m.min−1

 

150 rolling average

FR 112 ± 15 m.min−1

SR 121 ± 13 m.min−1

BR 123 ± 14 m.min−1

SH 138 ± 18 m.min−1

IB 128 ± 16 m.min−1

OB 124 ± 15 m.min−1

 

180 rolling average

FR 106 ± 14 m.min−1

SR 115 ± 14 m.min−1

BR 116 ± 14 m.min−1

SH 132 ± 17 m.min−1

IB 120 ± 14 m.min−1

OB 118 ± 15 m.min−1

 

240 rolling average

FR 99 ± 14 m.min−1

SR 106 ± 12 m.min−1

BR 108 ± 14 m.min−1

SH 122 ± 15 m.min−1

IB 112 ± 13 m.min−1

OB 111 ± 14 m.min−1

 

300 rolling average

FR 93 ± 14 m.min−1

SR 100 ± 12 m.min−1

BR 102 ± 14 m.min−1

SH 116 ± 14 m.min−1

IB 106 ± 12 m.min−1

OB 104 ± 14 m.min−1

 

600 rolling average

FR 80 ± 12 m.min−1

SR 87 ± 9 m.min−1

BR 88 ± 11 m.min−1

SH 97 ± 13 m.min−1

IB 92 ± 10 m.min−1

OB 89 ± 11 m.min−1

 

Read et al. [60]

59 rugby union academy players from England.

0–15

Attack Fwds—103.3 ± 62.2 m.min−1

Attack Backs—102.0 ± 64.2 m.min−1

Defence Fwds—109.4 ± 67.1 m.min−1

Defence Backs—106.5 ± 68.6 m.min−1

 

16–30

Attack Fwds—115.9 ± 44.8 m.min−1

Attack Backs—118.3 ± 50.4 m.min−1

Defence Fwds—118.4 ± 52.5 m.min−1

Defence Backs—110.5 ± 54.5 m.min−1

 

31–45

Attack Fwds—118.3 ± 35.6 m.min−1

Attack Backs—124.2 ± 39.2 m.min−1

Defence Fwds—117.4 ± 35.5 m.min−1

Defence Backs—113.2 ± 41.1 m.min−1

 

46–60

Attack Fwds—116.9 ± 28.6 m.min−1

Attack Backs—121.9 ± 33.4 m.min−1

Defence Fwds—112.6 ± 30.9 m.min−1

Defence Backs—106.7 ± 34.3 m.min−1

 

> 60

Attack Fwds—112.7 ± 23.3 m.min−1

Attack Backs—118.7 ± 29.8 m.min−1

Defence Fwds—108.4 ± 20.9 m.min−1

Defence Backs—102.0 ± 28.2 m.min−1

 

Reardon et al. [47]

39 professional rugby union players from a Pro12 team.

Tight Fwds 161

BR Fwds 152

IB 154

OB 155

Tight Fwds 109 m.min−1

BR Fwds 111 m.min−1

IB 123 m.min−1

OB 124 m.min−1

Tight Fwds 4.9 m.min−1

BR Fwds 6.0 m.min−1

IB 8.1 m.min−1

OB 14.1 m.min−1

Tierney et al. [51]

43 professional rugby union players from a Pro 12 team.

Attacking 22 entries

Prop—57.7 m.min−1 (44.1–63.4)

Hooker—63.2 m.min−1 (49.6–76.9)

SR—51.5 m.min−1 (41.5–61.4)

BR—54.5 m.min−1 (46.6–62.3)

SH—76.8 m.min−1 (62.9–90.7)

FH—62.2 m.min−1 (49.7–74.7)

Centre—61.2 m.min−1 (49.2–73.3)

B3—58.8 m.min−1 (51.3–66.2)

Prop—2.3 m.min−1 (− 1.1–5.8)

Hooker—6.5 m.min−1 (1.6–11.4)

SR—2.3 m.min−1 (− 1.3–5.9)

BR 2.4 m.min−1 (− 0.4–5.2)

SH—11.5 m.min−1 (6.5–16.4)

FH—7.0 m.min−1 (2.5–11.5)

Centre—8.1 m.min−1 (3.8–12.4)

B3—10.2 m.min−1 (7.5–12.8)

  1. Fwds forwards, FR front row, TF tight forwards, SR second row, BR back row, SH scrum half, FH fly half, IB inside back, OB outside back, B3 back 3