Quantifying the contribution of physical contact to athlete training load and performance in women’s rugby sevens

The combination of high-speed running and contact in a rugby sevens (sevens) match is tiring and potentially harmful to athletes. Closely monitoring athlete training loads improves in-game performance and protects from injury. Non-contact injuries, including those from sprinting, account for 10.0% of women’s sevens injuries, making contact-related injuries, including those from tackles, far more common. The velocities and forces of collisions have been studied in men’s rugby union, league, and sevens using wearable technology like GPS units. However, limited information exists describing contact in women’s rugby. There is a major gap in understanding of the effects of contacts on performance outcomes in women’s sevens. This project will develop models to explore the physical and tactical outcomes from contacts in games. This will support improved athlete monitoring and management; keeping athletes safer and helping teams win games.

Faculty Supervisor:

Marc Klimstra

Student:

Amarah Epp-Stobbe

Partner:

Canadian Sport Institute Pacific

Discipline:

Physics / Astronomy

Sector:

Arts, entertainment and recreation

University:

University of Victoria