the diagnostic accuracy of EyeGuide focus testing for concussion in elite male rugby players.

Introduction: Smooth pursuit eye movements may be affected by head impacts. The EyeGuide Focus system is a simple, portable, test of visual tracking. This study investigated the diagnostic accuracy of EyeGuide measurements for detection of concussion during elite Rugby matches.

Assessment of an eye-tracking tool to discriminate between concussed and not concussed professional male rugby players: a cohort study.

Objectives: Concussion is a common injury in rugby union ('rugby') and yet its diagnosis is reliant on clinical judgment. Oculomotor testing could provide an objective measure to assist with concussion diagnosis. NeuroFlex® evaluates oculomotor function using a virtual-reality headset.

Time to level the playing field between men and women - Given similar injury incidence: A two-season analysis of match injuries in elite men and women's (Super League) rugby league.

Objectives: To compare match injury incidence, severity and burden in men's and women's elite rugby league.

Design: A prospective cohort epidemiological study.

Methods: Time loss match injury data were collected from all men's (11,301 exposure hours) and women's (5,244 exposure hours) Super League clubs.

Injury Profile in Youth Female Athletes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background: An increasing number of epidemiological studies assessing the incidence, prevalence and severity of injury in youth female sport are available. However, no study has sought to synthesise the current evidence base across all youth female sport. As such, a systematic review and meta-analysis of injury in this cohort is necessary to understand the diversity of injury and its associated burden between sports in addition to identifying the density of research available.

The speed and acceleration of the ball carrier and tackler into contact during front-on tackles in rugby league.

The aim was to use a combination of video analysis and microtechnology (10 Hz global positioning system [GPS]) to quantify and compare the speed and acceleration of ball-carriers and tacklers during the pre-contact phase (contact - 0.5s) of the tackle event during rugby league match-play. Data were collected from 44 professional male rugby league players from two Super League clubs across two competitive matches.

A comparison of activity demands between trial matches and in-season matches across multiple teams and seasons in semi-professional, male rugby league players.

Trial matches are frequently used for team preparation in rugby league competitions, making it essential to understand the demands experienced to assess their specificity to actual competition. Consequently, this study aimed to compare the activity demands between pre-season trial matches and early in-season rugby league matches. Following a repeated-measures observational design, 39 semi-professional, male rugby league players from two clubs were monitored using microsensors during two trial matches and the first two in-season matches across two consecutive seasons.

"Is the focus in professional rugby ever really on health?": A qualitative study on the uptake of illness prevention guidelines in rugby.

Illness prevention is essential for athlete health management, but little is known about its uptake in sport. Prior to the pandemic, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) published a consensus statement recommending illness prevention guidelines are implemented in sports. Yet, little is known about guideline uptake.

Mental Fatigue Impairs Tackling Technique in Amateur Rugby Union Players.

Purpose: To test the effects of mental fatigue (MF) on tackling technique on the dominant and nondominant shoulders in rugby union.

Methods: Twenty male amateur rugby union players and a total of 953 tackles were analyzed. A randomized crossover counterbalanced design was used across a non-MF (control) and an MF condition.

Development of a rugby shoulder function (RSF) questionnaire: An online Delphi study.

Objective: Develop a questionnaire to monitor symptoms of player perceived shoulder function/dysfunction.

Design: 3-Stage Online Delphi Study.

Methods: Participants: surgeons, sports and exercise medics, academic researchers, strength and conditioning coaches, therapists and athletes split by level of expertise/experience.

Consensus on a netball video analysis framework of descriptors and definitions by the netball video analysis consensus group.

Using an expert consensus-based approach, a netball video analysis consensus (NVAC) group of researchers and practitioners was formed to develop a video analysis framework of descriptors and definitions of physical, technical and contextual aspects for netball research. The framework aims to improve the consistency of language used within netball investigations. It also aims to guide injury mechanism reporting and identification of injury risk factors.

The Efficacy of a Multimodal Recovery Strategy Implemented After a High-Intensity Rugby League Training Session.

Aben, HGJ, Hills, SP, Higgins, D, Cooke, CB, Davis, D, Jones, B, and Russell, M. The efficacy of a multimodal recovery strategy implemented after a high-intensity rugby league training session. J Strength Cond Res 37(8): 1634-1642, 2023-The efficacy of a multimodal recovery strategy implemented within 4 hours of rugby league (RL) training was investigated using repeated-measures, randomized, crossover methods in 10 professional academy RL players (age: 17 ± 1 years).

Are rugby league players involved in more tackles than normal, prior to an injury sustained during a tackle event?

Rugby league has a relatively high injury risk, with the tackle having the greatest injury propensity. The number of tackles players engage in, prior to injurious tackles may influence injury risk, which has yet to be investigated. Therefore, this study investigated if rugby league players are involved in more tackles (as either tackler or ball carrier) (i) in the 10 minutes, or (ii) 1-min periods prior to an injurious tackle-event, (iii) differences for ball carriers .

A novel application of entropy analysis for assessing changes in movement variability during cumulative tackles in young elite rugby league players.

The aim of this study was to identify between-position (forwards vs. backs) differences in movement variability in cumulative tackle events training during both attacking and defensive roles. Eleven elite adolescent male rugby league players volunteered to participate in this study (mean ± SD, age; 18.

Oral contraceptive use in Premiership and Championship women's rugby union: perceived symptomology, management strategies, and performance and wellness effects.

The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of oral contraceptive use in domestic rugby union, to compare symptomology by contraceptive use, and to determine symptom management strategies. Additionally, to characterise the perceived influence of oral contraceptive use and non-use on wellness and performance. A total of 238 Premiership and Championship women's rugby union players completed an online questionnaire.

Optimising classification in sport: a replication study using physical and technical-tactical performance indicators to classify competitive levels in rugby league match-play.

  Determining key performance indicators and classifying players accurately between competitive levels is one of the classification challenges in sports analytics. A recent study applied Random Forest algorithm to identify important variables to classify rugby league players into academy and senior levels and achieved 82.0% and 67.

The Maximal Intensity Period: Rationalising its Use in Team Sports Practice.

Quantifying the highest intensity of competition (the maximal intensity period [MIP]) for varying durations in team sports has been used to identify training targets to inform the preparation of players. However, its usefulness has recently been questioned since it may still underestimate the training intensity required to produce specific physiological adaptations. Within this conceptual review, we aimed to: (i) describe the methods used to determine the MIP; (ii) compare the data obtained using MIP or whole-match analysis, considering the influence of different contextual factors; (iii) rationalise the use of the MIP in team sports practice and (iv) provide limitations and future directions in the area.

The effect of rugby training on indirect markers of gut permeability and gut damage in academy level rugby players.

Purpose: To assess indirect markers of intestinal endothelial cell damage and permeability in academy rugby players in response to rugby training at the beginning and end of preseason.

Methods: Blood and urinary measures (intestinal fatty acid binding protein and lactulose:rhamnose) as measures of gastrointestinal cell damage and permeability were taken at rest and after a standardised collision-based rugby training session in 19 elite male academy rugby players (age: 20 ± 1 years, backs: 89.3 ± 8.

Applied sports science and sports medicine in women's rugby: systematic scoping review and Delphi study to establish future research priorities.

Objectives: In part 1, the objective was to undertake a systematic scoping review of applied sports science and sports medicine in women's rugby, and in part 2 to develop a consensus statement on future research priorities.

Design: In part 1, a systematic search of PubMed (MEDLINE), Scopus and SPORTDiscus (EBSCOhost) was undertaken from the earliest records to January 2021. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) 2020, the PRISMA extension for Scoping Reviews, and the PRISMA extension protocols were followed.

The field and resistance training loads of academy rugby league players during a pre-season: Comparisons across playing positions.

Male academy rugby league players are required to undertake field and resistance training to develop the technical, tactical and physical qualities important for success in the sport. However, limited research is available exploring the training load of academy rugby league players. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to quantify the field and resistance training loads of academy rugby league players during a pre-season period and compare training loads between playing positions (i.

Tackle and ball carrier demands of rugby league: a seven-year league-wide study including over 1,000,000 tackle events.

Objectives: Describe the highest frequency and variability for tackle events in rugby league. Investigate seasonal differences in total tackle events per match over a seven-year period.

Design: Retrospective observational.

Statistical analysis considerations within longitudinal studies of physical qualities in youth athletes: A qualitative systematic methodological review.

Background: The evaluation of physical qualities in talent identification and development systems is vital and commonplace in supporting youth athletes towards elite sport. However, the complex and dynamic development of physical qualities in addition to temporal challenges associated with the research design, such as unstructured data collection and missing data, requires appropriate statistical methods to be applied in research to optimise the understanding and knowledge of long-term physical development.

Aim: To collate and evaluate the application of methodological and statistical methods used in studies investigating the development of physical qualities within youth athletes.