Changes in Physical Strength and Performance of Rugby Union Male Student-Athletes over 70-Weeks and after the First 31-Weeks of Training

Physical and physiological demands of the 15-a-side rugby union (RU) game have increased since the sport attained professional status. However, little data are available on these variables concentrating on developing RU players (studentathletes). The purpose of this paper was to investigate the potential enhancement of two physical strength and nine performance variables of male New Zealand RU Academy student-athletes over 70-weeks, a 39-week subset of this duration, and compare with available data. Nine Otago Rugby Football Union student-athletes were part of the second-year Otago Rugby Football Union (ORFU) Academy Program. Over the initial 35-weeks and weeks 53 to 70, each week the student-athletes engaged in 25hours of actively supervised Academy training program and participated in 15-hours of rugby practice and game play. During weeks 36 to 52, the student-athletes trained on their own following their provided individualized training programs. Assessments sessions were scheduled over 52-weeks. Over 70-weeks, analysis of the mean data revealed increases in body weight and skinfold measurements with concurrent significant performance improvements in lower-body power (13.9%; ES = Large; p = 0.001), upper body strength bench press (22.1%; ES = Large; p = 0.005), bench pull (9.2%; ES = Large; p = 0.018), and anaerobic capacity PDT-Effort (6.8%; ES = Large; p = 0.026). Mean data over 39-weeks (weeks 31 to 70) demonstrated a 1.6% body weight increase with concurrent 2.7% decrease in skinfolds and significant performance enhancement in upper body strength bench pull (9.2%; ES = Large; p = 0.013) and PDT-Effort (7.4%; ES = Large; p = 0.050). Significant performance enhancement for lower-body power, upper-body strength, and PDT-Effort over 70-weeks is possible even with increases in body weight and skinfold measurements. In conclusion, over weeks 31 to 70, body weight continued to increase, skin-fold measurement decreased and performance improvement was noted in all variables, with significant development in upper-body strength and PDT-Effort. Also, the above results were recorded even after a non-active monitoring training period.