Table 7 Summary of GPS use in age-grade and senior training sessions

Campbell et al. [52]

32 club rugby union players.

Mean total session distance (m)—Front row

4074 ± 974 m

Mean total session distance (m)—Locks

4698 ± 1120 m

Mean total session distance (m)—Loose forwards

4173 ± 1003 m

Mean total session HSR (> 12.5 ms⁻¹) distance (m)—Front row

91.1 ± 80.2 m

Mean total session HSR (> 12.5 ms⁻¹) distance (m)—Locks

211 ± 208 m

Mean total session HSR (> 12.5 ms⁻¹) distance (m)—Loose forwards

129 ± 156 m

Mean total session distance (m)—Halves

5259 ± 1345 m

Mean total session distance (m)—Centres

5217 ± 1208 m

Mean total session distance (m)—Outside backs

4978 ± 1203 m

Mean total session HSR (> 12.5 ms⁻¹) distance (m)—Halves

227 ± 230 m

Mean total session HSR (> 12.5 ms⁻¹) distance (m)—Centres

307 ± 173 m

Mean total session HSR (> 12.5 ms⁻¹) distance (m)—Outside backs

320 ± 202 m

Dubios et al. [43]

8 professional rugby union players (all backs) from the D2 Championship in France.

Mean total weekly distance (m)

19316 ± 2923 m

Mean weekly HSR (> 8.1 ms⁻¹) distance (m)

3996 ± 701 m

Hartwig et al. [24]

118 rugby union players aged between 14 and 18 years.

Percentage time stationary (0–0.6 ms⁻¹)—games Vs training

44.5 ± 4.3% Vs 44.9 ± 10.4%

Percentage time walking (0.6–4.3 ms⁻¹)—games Vs training

35.3 ± 4.2% Vs 45.0 ± 8.8%

Percentage time jogging (4.3–7.5 ms⁻¹)—games Vs training

14.5 ± 2.7% Vs 8.6 ± 3.1%

Percentage time striding (7.5–13.1 ms⁻¹)—games Vs training

3.6 (3.5) Vs 1.1 (1.1) median and interquartile range

Percentage time sprinting (> 13.1 ms⁻¹)—games Vs training

0.9% (2.1) Vs 0.001% (0.1) median and interquartile range

Sprints per hour of play—games Vs training

17.6 ± 38.9 Vs 0.7 ± 2.5

Sprint distance per hour of play (m)—games Vs training

220 ± 552 m Vs 6.4 ± 30.8 m

Sprint distance (m)—games Vs training

12.3 ± 5.1 Vs 11.5 ± 8.4 m

Percentage time stationary (0–0.6 ms⁻¹)—games Vs training

32.7 ± 7.3% Vs 40.7 ± 10.3%

Percentage time walking (0.6–4.3 ms⁻¹)—games Vs training

48.8 ± 7.6% Vs 48.1 ± 7.7%

Percentage time jogging (4.3–7.5 ms⁻¹)—games Vs training

13.6 ± 2.5% Vs 9.1 ± 4.1%

Percentage time striding (7.5–13.1 ms⁻¹)—games Vs training

3.1 (1.8%) Vs 1.8 (1.5) median and interquartile range

Percentage time sprinting (> 13.1 ms⁻¹)—games Vs training

1.3 (0.8) Vs 0.1 (0.4) median and interquartile range

Sprints per hour of play—games Vs training

22 ± 11.2 Vs 2.1 ± 5.9

Sprint distance per hour of play (m)—games Vs training

346 ± 231 m Vs 20.8 ± 96.6 m

Sprint distance (m)—games Vs training

13.6 ± 4.8 m Vs 11.3 ± 10.6 m

Phibbs et al. [45]

170 adolescent rugby union players (U16 and U18).

No differentiation between positions (under 16 s)

Mean session total distance (m)—School

2672 ± 456 m

Mean session total distance (m)—Club

3619 ± 664 m

Mean session total distance (m)—Academy

2903 ± 434 m

Mean session total HSR (7.5–13.1 ms⁻¹) distance (m)—School

751 ± 242 m

Mean session total HSR (7.5–13.1 ms⁻¹) distance (m)—Club

955 ± 256 m

Mean total session HSR (7.5–13.1 ms⁻¹) distance (m)—Academy

590 ± 219 m

No differentiation between positions (under 18 s)

Mean total distance (m)—School

2925 ± 467 m

Mean session total distance (m)—Club

3845 ± 577 m

Mean session total distance (m)—Academy

4176 ± 433 m

Mean session total HSR (7.5–13.1 ms⁻¹) distance (m)—School

678 ± 179 m

Mean session total HSR (7.5–13.1 ms⁻¹) distance (m)—Club

597 ± 246 m

Mean session total HSR (7.5–13.1 ms⁻¹) distance (m)—Academy

1270 ± 288 m

Phibbs et al. [57]

20 adolescent academy rugby union players.

Mean weekly total distance (m)

10195 ± 2242 m

Mean weekly HSR (> 61% Vmax) distance (m)

482 ± 174 m

Mean weekly VHSR (> 90% Vmax) distance (m)

5 ± 8 m

Mean weekly total distance (m)

13063 ± 3933 m

Mean weekly HSR (> 61% Vmax) distance (m)

807 ± 387 m

Mean weekly VHSR (> 90% Vmax) distance (m)

34 ± 51 m

Phibbs et al. [56]

61 adolescent schoolboy and academy rugby union players.

Mean session total distance (m)—School

3433 ± 300 m

Mean session total distance (m)—Academy

4031 ± 755 m

Mean session HSR (> 61% maximal sprint speed)—School

276 ± 71 m

Mean session HSR (> 61% maximal sprint speed)—Academy

252 ± 120 m

Mean session total distance (m)—School

3821 ± 386 m

Mean session total distance (m)—Academy

4678 ± 356 m

Mean session HSR (> 61% maximal sprint speed)—School

275 ± 105 m

Mean session HSR (> 61% maximal sprint speed)—Academy

345 ± 160 m

Weaving et al. [62]

21 professional rugby union players.

No positions identified in the results

Mean total session distance (m)

3096 ± 675 m

Mean total session HSR (> 61% maximal sprint speed)

127 ± 202 m