Rugby Union
Sports > Rugby Union > Fitness > Testing
Fitness Tests for Rugby
As with most football codes, rugby requires a very good levels
of skill, speed, agility and endurance (see Rugby Fitness). Therefore, there are many
components of fitness that are important for success. The importance of each component of fitness will depend on the playing position, where the strength is important for the props, and speed for the backs. You should also compare these recommendations to the fitness tests and norms for the Springboks in 2007.
Fitness Component |
Example Tests |
Comments |
Aerobic Fitness |
- The shuttle run (beep) test is very good for testing the aerobic fitness of a whole team at once. There has also been developed a Rugby specific test (the J.A.M. test) that is based on the intensity of the game.
- You can find information on many other aerobic tests here.
|
Aerobic fitness is a very important component of fitness
for rugby. |
Flexibility |
|
Good hamstring flexibility is import for rugby players in
running and for ball kicking skill. |
Strength and Power |
|
Strength (and power tests) should also be done to determine
strength levels and to monitor strength changes in conjunction
with training programs. |
Speed |
|
Maximum running speed and acceleration are very important
in rugby. |
Body Fat |
- Body fat can be measured using the skinfold
method. If this is not available, monitoring body
weight changes would give an indication of body fat changes,
assuming no change in muscle mass.
|
Excess body fat would affect the player's ability to move
freely around the field, and the extra weight will increase
fatigue during the game. |
Agility |
- An agility test in which the player has to make a turn of
less than 45 degrees would be suitable, as no turns greater
than this are made at speed during a game. See about Agility testing.
|
The ability to quickly change direction is very important to evade the defence and make a break in
rugby. |
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