Application of Individualized Speed Thresholds to Interpret Position Specific Running Demands in Elite Professional Rugby Union: A GPS Study

Cillian Reardon, Daniel P Tobin and Eamonn Delahunt

PLOS ONE, 2015, vol. 10, issue 7, 1-12

Abstract: A number of studies have used GPS technology to categorise rugby union locomotive demands. However, the utility of the results of these studies is confounded by small sample sizes, sub-elite player status and the global application of absolute speed thresholds to all player positions. Furthermore, many of these studies have used GPS units with low sampling frequencies. The aim of the present study was to compare and contrast the high speed running (HSR) demands of professional rugby union when utilizing micro-technology units sampling at 10 Hz and applying relative or individualised speed zones. The results of this study indicate that application of individualised speed zones results in a significant shift in the interpretation of the HSR demands of both forwards and backs and positional sub-categories therein. When considering the use of an absolute in comparison to an individualised HSR threshold, there was a significant underestimation for forwards of HSR distance (HSRD) (absolute = 269 ± 172.02, individualised = 354.72 ± 99.22, p

Date: 2015
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:plo:pone00:0133410

DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0133410

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