Enhancing the Initial Acceleration Performance of Elite Rugby Backs. Part I: Determining Individual Technical Needs

Purpose: This study sought to quantify the within-individual relationships between spatiotemporal variables and initial acceleration sprint performance in elite rugby backs and to establish a normative data set of relevant strength-based measures. Methods: First, the spatiotemporal variables, ratios of step length to step rate and of contact time to flight time, and initial acceleration performance were obtained from 35 elite male rugby backs (mean [SD] age 25 [3] y) over the first 4 steps of 3 sprints. Angular and linear kinematic aspects of technique and strength-based qualities were collected from 25 of these participants. Second, the same spatiotemporal variables were collected from 19 of the participants on 3 further occasions (12 trials in total) to determine the within-individual associations of these variables and initial acceleration performance. Results: Moderate to very large meaningful within-individual relationships (|r| = .43–.88) were found between spatiotemporal variables and initial acceleration performance in 17 of the 19 participants. From these relationships, a theoretically “desirable” change in whole-body kinematic strategy was individually determined for each participant, and normative strength-based measures to contextualize these were established. Conclusions: Meaningful within-individual relationships are evident between sprint spatiotemporal variables and initial acceleration performance in elite rugby backs. Individualized approaches are therefore necessary to understand how aspects of technique relate to initial acceleration performance. This study provides an objective, evidence-based approach for applied practitioners to identify the initial acceleration technical needs of individual rugby backs.