TABLE 2.
Thematic analysis of Unstimulated verbalisations, stimulated verbalisations and decision classifications of the same game moment [number in brackets denotes the number of player references to this theme].
| Unstimulated Raw Data example | Stimulated Raw Data Example | Decision-Classification | Deductive Theme | Elementary Unit of Meaning |
| “We said look at front door options instead of going out the back. Cause they were sort of chopping off us and biting on us, so thought we’d put it into an open play move I hit **** on a short ball and he went through and put **** in and scored.” (UNI Player 4, Game 2) | “I was initially looking outside me, as I thought that’s where the support would be coming from as we had pre-called that it would be a hit. It was a pre-call pat hit. **** should be an option, but once I make the break I look outside straight away.” (UNI Player 4, Game 2) | Slow-thought | Perception of information (50) | Defensive picture |
| “Next play we’re all spaced up and I fly upon to the last man and then he gave a pass away and I had to shift off.” (PRO Player 2, Game 1) | “I always assess the first guy on the lead and then push off onto that shoulder ball I was a little slow on that and then it was the case of my winger overselling himself, and in recognising that I knew I had to chase back.” (PRO Player 2, Game 1) | Slow-thought | Offensive picture | |
| “I could see there was a bit of space on the outside which I saw the winger had chased in on me. Went to look to go either side but he’d actually closed me off really well so I fended him off to get me a bit of space and span into where the forward were all stood and opened up.” (PRO Player 2, Game 1) | “I didn’t think I would beat him for pace because he was backpedalling and definitely had the angle on me. They had cover, I knew I could beat him one on one but was very much aware of the cover chasing me, so attempting that would slow me a bit, so my thought process was let’s keep us on the front foot.” (PRO Player 2, Game 1) | Fast-thought | Opponents movements | |
| “There was one missed tackle where their winger broke through and me and James both sort of went for him at the same time and both missed it.” (UNI Player 1, Game 1) | “He broke the line and **** sort of was in behind and he was shouting at me I’ve got it I’ve got it so I sort of stepped out the way and then as he missed him went for him, so my process was quite slow” (UNI Player 1, Game 1) | Slow-thought | Teammates movements | |
| “We could of thrown to the back of the lineout but we haven’t had any success with the back ball.” (UNI Player 8, Game 1) | “The **** ball hadn’t been on all day which is the back ball on the lineout which we really haven’t been hitting to much anyways & it’s wet and rainy so it’s a much higher risk” (UNI Player 8, Game 1) | Slow-thought | Actions-for (119) | Self-awareness |
| “So whenever I noticed him being close to the ball I just ensured I was there quickly to blast him out, or make sure that when he was tackling me, when I was on the floor to constantly make a second effort so he couldn’t get hands to the ball.” (PRO Player 5, Game 1) | “In the build up to it, just before we get the ball (pod of three), I’m looking at the defensive picture for the red scrum cap. The risk goes up when he’s there.” (PRO Player 5, Game 1) | Fast-thought | Intentions | |
| “We had a scrum just before half time, which didn’t go as well – one of the worst scrums of the game – we didn’t get out the blocks very well.” (PRO Player 3, Game 1) | “So the hit doesn’t go to well, and then he’s sort of on the outside, and I’m thinking at this time about getting forward so he can’t get around me.” (PRO Player 3, Game 1) | Slow-thought | Outcomes | |
| “Before the game I’d noticed that **** their 7 was really strong over the ball, so whenever I noticed him being close to the ball I just ensured I was there quickly to blast him out, or make sure that when he was tackling me, when I was on the floor to constantly make a second effort so he couldn’t get hands to the ball.” (PRO Player 5, Game 1) | “It just became a thought process of if he’s there just smack him and get him away. If I went over the top of him there, he’s in a strong position and he just wouldn’t of moved. It was definitely a conscious decision to get my head under his shoulder and just smack him off the ball. My thought process was jacked by his red scrum cap.” (PRO Player 5, Game 1) | Fast-thought | Knowledge-of (19) | Opponents |
| “And then defensively in the lineouts we stole, from me jumping at the front and then there was one other that **** got his finger tips on then obviously I remember the last 6 minutes in pretty good detail.” (UNI Player 8, Game 2) | “So we decided before the game to line up slightly in front of their jumpers. Then the picture I see makes sense as they’re just going quick and to the middle I think it was their front jumper who turned deliberately” (UNI Player 8, Game 2)” | Fast-thought | Roles & responsibilities | |
| “First thing was the kick chase of the restart so we knew previously that they were going to go long so set off, kept the line and I could chase out.” (PRO Player 2, Game 1) | “I’m going up I’m looking at who’s around and who’s catching it because they’re going to do different things, because if it’s a 9 catching it I know has going to do something different to a bigger guy.” (PRO Player 2, Game 1) | Slow-thought | Tactics | |
| “There was one instance where the ball came to me, but the defender was on me so I had to tip it on really quickly.” (PRO Player 3, Game 2) | “As I got the ball I saw that **** hips instantly turned into toward me. So I gave the ball to **** to gain a better outcome. (PRO Player 3, Game 2) | Fast-thought | Knowledge-in (5) | Change in expectations |
| “My decisions following that point was to think ‘right, let’s keep it simple’ and as a lineout caller I tended to back myself a lot. I was like right ‘I know my shit’ so I’m going to call it to myself.” (PRO Player 7, Game 1) | In this game we had to get to trusting what we were doing, the fact that it was personnel messing up, i.e., a not straight, gives you confidence – it’s not like your calling is wrong.” (PRO Player 7, Game 1) | Game context | ||
| “It went well, yeah we Ginned off me. Then there was a lot in midfield in this game and we went into the game trying to win the midfield.” (UNI Player 2, Game 1). | “I’m not reacting to anything, I know we’re in midfield on the half way and really that’s a game plan type thing it’s like we’re on the half way they’ve got a good defensive line so.” (UNI Player 2, Game 1). | Slow-thought | Common frame of reference (28) | Tactical rules |
| “I stayed hugging the touch line and called flash which is our call to jump back down on the blind side.” (PRO Player 2, Game 1). | “Saw it was on, called the flash my options were to flatten up or stay deep to get the ball and make that decision as easy as possible for our ten, basically I could see that their was a 6 in front of me, and I knew I could beat him into that space.” (PRO Player 2, Game 1) | Fast-thought | Common language |
The **** denotes names and terms that have been removed for confidentiality and anonymity.