Profiling the time-course changes in neuromuscular function and muscle damage over two consecutive tournament stages in elite rugby sevens players.

Objectives: Many International Rugby Board (IRB) sevens competitions require that two tournament stages are played over consecutive weekends, but the impact this has on player physical performance and recovery is lacking. We examined the influence of two consecutive tournaments on neuromuscular function (NMF) and muscle damage in rugby sevens players.

Design: Ten elite international rugby sevens players completed this observational study over 2 tournaments, separated by 5 days, during the IRB sevens series.