Skip to main content

Table 2 Characteristics of collision frequency detected by microtechnology in rugby union and rugby sevens

From: Quantifying Collision Frequency and Intensity in Rugby Union and Rugby Sevens: A Systematic Review

Study: author (year)

Number of matches/training sessions

Type of collisions

Frequency definition

Frequency of collisions: mean ± SD

Relative frequency of collisions: mean ± SD (no. per min)

Load (AU)

Rugby union

Bradley et al. (2015) [32]

Training sessions

Contact number

Weekly

Forwards: 80 ± 25

NR

NR

    

Backs: 50 ± 22

  

Coughlan et al. (2011) [39]

1 match

Collisions

Number

Total: 1411

NR

NR

    

Forwards: 838

    
    

Backs: 573

    
  

Tackles

Total

Forwards: 10

    
    

Backs: 12

    
  

Average Body Load tackle against

     

Forwards: 8.4 G

        

Backs: 7.8 G

Cunniffe et al. (2009) [20]

1 match

Impacts

Total

Forwards: 798

NR

NR

    

Backs: 1274

  

Jones et al. (2014) [52]

4 matches

  

Forwards:

Backs:

NR

NR

  

Tackles

Per match

5 ± 3

4 ± 3

    
  

Contacts hit

Per match

15 ± 6

6 ± 4

    
  

Impacts

Total

25 ± 9

15 ± 7

    
  

Scrum

Per match

13 ± 5

0

    
  

Contacts

Total

31 ± 14

16 ± 7

    

Jones et al. (2015) [53]

71 matches

Contacts

Per match

First half: 12.3 ± 9.5

NR

NR

    

Second half: 12.6 ± 9.8

    
   

0–10 min

2.9 ± 2.5

     
   

10–20 min

3.1 ± 3

     
   

20–30 min

4.1 ± 4.6

     
   

30–40 min

3.7 ± 5

     
   

40–50 min

4 ± 3.8

     
   

50–60 min

2.5 ± 2.2

     
   

60–70 min

2.3 ± 2.1

     
   

70–80 min

2.5 ± 2.4

     

MacLeod et al. (2018) [25]

11 matches

Collisions

Number per game

Forwards:

Backs:

Forwards:

Backs:

  
    

Prop: 31 ± 6

Half back: 16 ± 5

Prop: 0.4 ± 0.1

Half back: 0.2 ± 0.1

  
    

Hooker: 33 ± 5

Centre: 23 ± 5.4

Hooker: 0.38 ± 0.1

Centre: 0.3 ± 0.1

  
    

Second row: 35 ± 7

Back three: 21 ± 5.8

Second row: 0.4 ± 0.1

Back three: 0.2 ± 0.1

  
    

Back row: 35 ± 10

 

Back row: 0.4 ± 0.2

   
  

Load per collision

     

Forwards:

Backs:

        

Prop: 7.9 ± 1.4

Half back: 7.6 ± 1.4

        

Hooker: 7.7 ± 1.4

Centre: 8.0 ± 1.4

        

Second row: 7.3 ± 1.4

Back three: 8.3 ± 1.6

        

Back row: 7.6 ± 1.6

 

McLaren et al. (2015) [58]

15 matches

Impacts

Total

Total: 50 ± 289

Total: 0.7 ± 0.4

NR

    

Forwards: 78 ± 18

Forwards: 1 ± 0.3

  
    

Backs: 28 ± 12

Backs: 1.1 ± 0.2

  

Reardon et al. (2017) [24]

13 matches

Collisions

Total

Prop: 34 ± 11

NR

NR

    

Hooker: 33 ± 9

    
    

Second row: 35 ± 11

    
    

Back row: 44 ± 10

    
    

Scrum half: 11 ± 6

    
    

Out-half: 21 ± 7

    
    

Centre: 20 ± 5

    
    

Wing: 20 ± 5

    
    

Full back: 21 ± 6

    

Takeda et al. (2014) [80]

Training and simulated match

Tackles

Total number

37.6 ± 3

 

NR

NR

  

Contacts

 

10.4 ± 2.5

     

Tierney et al. (2020) [23]

Match play

Collisions

Collisions per player per game

11

 

NR

NR

Tierney et al. (2021) [84]

Match play

Collision count

 

0.4 ± 0.1

 

NR

NR

  

Collision load

     

2.8 ± 1.1

Venter et al. (2011) [91]

5 matches

Impacts

Total

Back row forwards: 683.4 ± 295

NR

 

NR

 
    

Outside backs: 474.3 ± 81.9

    

Rugby sevens

Clarke et al. (2015) [36]

3–6 matches

Impacts

Total

National: 7300 ± 2200

 

NR

 

NR

 
    

State: 5200 ± 2400

     

Clarke et al. (2016) [37]

2 matches

Collisions

NR

Men: 35

 

NR

 

NR

 
    

Women: 20

     

Gibson et al. (2015) [47]

3 weeks training

Tackles

Count

Week 1: 22.8 ± 10.6

 

NR

 

NR

 
    

Week 2: 14.6 ± 9.1

     
    

Week 3: 15.8 ± 5.7

     

Portillo et al. (2016) [62]

5 matches

Tackle

Number/min

NR

 

Tackle: 0.3 ± 0.1

NR

 
  

Ruck

   

Ruck: 0.3 ± 0.1

  
  

Ball Carry

   

Ball Carry: 0.2 ± 0.1

  

Suarez-Arrones et al. (2014) [78]

23 matches

Tackle

Whole match

Forwards: 7.4 ± 1.8

NR

 

NR

 
    

First half: 3.3 ± 1.3

    
    

Second half: 4.1 ± 1.8

    
   

Whole match

Backs: 4.1 ± 2.4

    
    

First half: 2.3 ± 1.8

    
    

Second half: 1.9 ± 1.4

    
  

Ruck

Whole match

Forwards: 1 ± 1.1

    
    

First half: 0.4 ± 0.5

    
    

Second half: 0.6 ± 0.8

    
   

Whole match

Backs: 0.6 ± 0.9

    
    

First half: 0.3 ± 0.5

    
    

Second half: 0.4 ± 0.5

    
  

Scrums

 

Forwards:

    
    

First half: 2.9 ± 0.7

    
    

Second half: 1 ± 0.8

    
  1. NR not reported