Table 2.
Comparison of movement patterns and player demands during match-play between specific positional groups (mean ± SD)
| Variable | Front Row | Second Row | Back Row | Scrum Half | Inside Backs | Outside Backs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Playing time (min) | 89.5 ± 11.8 | 89.3 ± 11.3 | 91.6 ± 11.5 | 85.7 ± 11.0 | 89.7 ± 12.9 | 91.5 ± 9.6 |
| Total Distance (m) | 4783 ± 731 | 5297 ± 1057 | 5161 ± 734 | 4960 ± 727 | 5032 ± 1044 | 4701 ± 1055b |
| Relative Distance (m·min-1) |
53.0 ± 5.8b | 59.4 ± 10.3 | 56.1 ± 6.0 | 57.5 ± 7.5 | 54.5 ± 11.6 | 50.6 ± 9.6bcd |
| Maximum speed (km.h-1) |
19.4 ± 2.0bcef | 20.7 ± 2.4 | 21.6 ± 2.3 | 19.9 ± 2.5 | 23.4 ± 2.5abcd | 24.9 ± 2.3abcde |
| Walking (m) | 2613 ± 601c | 2422 ± 699 | 2212 ± 380 | 2292 ± 362 | 2461 ± 445 | 2583 ± 405c |
| Jogging (m) | 1686 ± 527f | 1966 ± 370aef | 1976 ± 409aef | 1784 ± 413f | 1515 ± 442f | 1208 ± 403 |
| Low Intensity Running (m) |
264 ± 113bcde | 444 ± 211 | 473 ± 179 | 431 ± 149 | 379 ± 141 | 254 ± 112bcde |
| Medium Intensity | 178 ± 119bcdef | 457 ± 305 | 401 ± 182 | 375 ± 215 | 459 ± 183f | 341 ± 165 |
| Running (m) | ||||||
| High Intensity | 24 ± 36bc | 79 ± 71 | 82 ± 54 | 61 ± 62 | 134 ± 88bcde | 178 ± 103abcde |
| Running (m) | ||||||
| Sprinting (m) | 9 ± 20 | 18 ± 47 | 15 ± 20 | 10 ± 17 | 74 ± 76abcd | 92 ± 89abcd |
| %Time Walking | 81.4 ± 6.1 | 78.3 ± 4.4 | 79.1 ± 3.9 | 78.6 ± 5.1 | 82.1 ± 5.0bcd | 85.2 ± 3.7abcd |
| %Time Jogging | 12.8 ± 4.2 | 13.6 ± 2.4 | 14.4 ± 2.6 | 13.4 ± 3.0 | 11.2 ± 2.9bc | 8.3 ± 2.6abcde |
| %Time Low Intensity | 1.4 ± 0.7d | 2.3 ± 1.3 | 2.4 ± 1.1 | 2. ± 0.9 | 1.8 ± 0.7c | 1.2 ± 0.4bcde |
| Running | ||||||
| %Time Moderate | 0.7 ± 0.6bcde | 1.7 ± 1.2 | 1.7 ± 0.7 | 1.6 ± 1.0 | 1.8 ± 0.8 | 1.1 ± 0.7e |
| Intensity Running | ||||||
| %Time High Intensity | 0 ± 0 | 0.2 ± 0.4 | 0.1 ± 0.2 | 0.2 ± 0.4 | 0.4 ± 0.5ac | 0.5 ± 0.5abc |
| Running | ||||||
| %Time Sprinting | 0 ± 0 | 0 ± 0 | 0 ± 0 | 0 ± 0 | 0.1 ± 0.3 | 0.1 ± 0.4abc |
| Work:Rest Ratio | 0.06 ± 0.03bdce | 0.1 ± 0.05 | 0.1 ± 0.04 | 0.09 ± 0.04 | 0.09 ± 0.04 | 0.06 ± 0.03bdce |
| Total Player Load (AU) | 539 ± 74 | 555 ± 87 | 562 ± 71 | 520 ± 89 | 524 ± 126 | 476 ± 102abc |
| Relative Player Load | 6.1 ± 0.5 | 6.2 ± 0.7 | 6.2 ± 0.8 | 6.0 ± 0.9 | 5.8 ± 1.3 | 5.2 ± 0.9abcde |
| (AU·min-1) | ||||||
| RHIE | 13.3 ± 8.8bcef | 23.3 ± 8.2 | 21.6 ± 9.6 | 18.5 ± 9.0 | 20.3 ± 8.0 | 19.7 ± 7.7 |
Indicates significantly different from a front row; b second row; c back row; d scrum half;
e inside backs; f outside backs: # Indicates moderate/large effect size difference from other positional group