sport science work

1. Unit 11-task 1
The sport I am looking at is rugby, I will be looking at a defensive on the floor open side flanker that
plays semi-professional rugby.
My first technical priority - Ruck positioning (offensively), I have chosen this because a defensive
flanker being able to ruck is a major requirement defensively and offensively. Rucking itself can
benefit the rest of the team as it can help defend the ball in the ruck and offensively help get the ball
from the opposition. Rucking helps gain an advantage because if you turn the ball over and take it
from the opposition you can counter attack and at this level I believe the opposition will not react
quickly enough due to their weaker selective attention, therefore I think focusing on this is key as it
sets up a strong counter attack. This can be measured through video analysis as I can video the
player and record how many turn overs he makes from how many he attempted and his
effectiveness of his jackal. I’ll be looking at his position, I will also look at how his technique and body
position changes from when he wins the ball oppose to when he gets rucked of the ball (this will be
done over a series of games so I have more data to look at therefore making it more detailed). I
would improve my athlete through visual feedback as I would have the athlete watch the games and
concentrate on the positives of the ruck and eliminate the negatives. I would move this on by placing
the athlete in different stimulus replicating the ruck situation building from the athlete being under
no pressure ( unopposed) to under immense pressure ( game situation).
My second technical priority- Tackle technique, I have chosen this because as a defensive flanker I
would pick tackling as a major requirement. Tackling is important for everyone defending but
statistically the back row make the most tackles therefore my athlete will need to have the best
tackle technique. At the level of rugby my athlete is playing he will not be able to miss tackles as the
player carrying the ball would have had enough previous training and experience to make the
correct decision to make my athletes mistake punishable. I would measure my athletes tackle
technique through video analysis as I can video the player and record how many tackles he makes
from how many he attempts. I will again look at how his body position changes from tackles that are
really successful to tackles that fail (this will be done over a series of games so I have more data to
look at therefore making it more detailed). I would improve my athlete through visual feedback as I
would have the athlete watch the games and concentrate on the positives of the successful tackles
and eliminate the weaknesses of the poor tackles .I would move this on by placing the athlete in
different stimulus replicating the tackle situation building from the athlete being under no pressure (
light opposition) to under immense pressure ( game situation).
My third technical priority- Line out jumping technique, I have chosen this because the line out gives
a strong basis for the rest of the team to shape there attack around, but as a defensive flanker I
would focus my athlete on the defensive part of their line out. This is where key technique is needed
from the reaction time needed to explosive drive from the floor into the air to being able to utilize
the core muscles to hold body position in the air. At this level of rugby I believe having good
defensive line out technique and spoiling the opposition ball will affect there arousal levels making
them over aroused/ angered therefore they will suffer a catastrophe and not be able to recover
performance. I would measure this by again using video analysis( over a series of games) and looking
at the success rates of the counter line out, leading on from this then focusing on the technique of
the successful ones and eliminate the poor technique from the unsuccessful ones. To improve my

2. athlete I would use visual feedback by making them watch the line outs and build on the strengths of
the technique and eliminating the weaknesses of the poor technique. I would then make them
compare themselves to someone from the level up and get them to try mimic there technique i n
game situations.
My first tactical priority- Tackle choice, I have chosen this because as a defensive flanker tackling is
the number one priority in all aspects of the game. Throughout the game different tackles can have
different effects from speed of play to disrupting opposition play this is why I have chosen this as a
priority because the back row statistically make the most tackles within a game. I would measure the
tactical knowledge of my athlete through video analysis as I would keep count of what tackles have
been used in what situations, either it be a chop tackle or a hold up tackle and decide was it affective
but looking at the outcome. To train my athlete to become more tactical with his tackle choice I
would make his watch someone from the next level up (professional) and look at their tackle choices
throughout the games and discuss why they’ve used certain tackles in different situations. Taking
this knowledge forward into a game as they’ve develop new schemas for the situations and focus of
new cues learnt from the new training of the athlete.
My second tactical priority- Line out calls, I have chosen this because line outs give the back line of
an offensive team a great starting point to launch an attacking play. Tactically a line out can be very
complex as teams can have up to 15 line out calls all serving different purposes in different parts of
the pitch, picking the correct one for the situation can be very hard. As a back row player my athlete
is involved in calling, jumping and lifting in the line outs. To measure the tactical knowledge of my
athlete in the line out I would use video analysis to look at the success rate of the line out over a
series of games. I would then take this primary data to make a tally chart of the various line out calls
and whether they worked and if they was used in the correct part of the pitch. To improve my
athletes tactical knowledge in the line out I would make him watch his games and discuss why some
line outs were affective and why a different line out should been used in different circumstances
across the touch line. I would then place him under different stimulus’s ( training game ) so he can
develop his tactical line out calls and then take this into a game having this new information stored
in his long term memory.,
My third tactical priority- rucking options, I have chosen this because a defensive flanker my athlete
will be involved in ruck situations throughout the game, tactically this aspect is important as my
athlete needs to know whether to commit to the ruck, attempt to jackal for the ball or leave it and
get ready for the next phase. To measure my athletes tactical knowledge in this area I would use
video analysis after filming a series of his games I would look at his effectiveness when making the
decision to ruck, jackal or leave it and get ready for the next phase of play. To improve my athlete in
this area I would use the whole part whole technique in training. I would start by creating a phase
and seeing what he does then stopping to discuss what the positives and negatives of his decision
were and then let him try again.
My first physical priority- Strength in rucking and tackling, I have chosen this because rucking and
tackling are a flankers most important roles. I think my athlete should be strong as he can in these
areas to show a real dominates at the level he’s playing at. To test my athlete’s strength I would do a
one rep max test. Doing a squat, deadlift and a bench press as this would use most of his large
muscle groups giving me a better indication of his strength. To improve my athletes strength I would

3. put him on a 12 week weight training strength program, I would also make this rugby specific to try
and get a realistic representation of strength used in a game situation.
My second physical priority- Balance in line outs, I have chosen this because when my athlete gets
lifted into the air he needs to stay balanced from the second he’s in the air till he is safely back on
the ground, if he becomes unbalanced he may not catch the ball and therefore he will lose
possession for the team or he could fall and risk injury to him or others involved in the line out. To
test my athletes balance I would do the stalk stand test this involves timing how long someone can
stand on one leg for. I would also do a modified bass test this involves the athlete jumping from
station to station and holding that position for five seconds before jumping again (alternating feet).
To improve my athlete’s balance I would put him on an 8 week training program working on his
balance 3 times a week, I would try and make the exercise rugby specific.
My third physical priority- is speed of the line when defending, I have chosen this because being able
to meet the attacker beyond the gain line they are trying to break, gives my athlete and his
defenders an advantage as they can apply pressure on the attack which can lead to them causing
mistakes. I believe at this level the more pressure the attacker is under the more likely they are to
perform a mistake. I would test my athletes speed by performing a 30 yard dash as this would be
more realistic to rugby as my athlete is unlikely to be sprinting longer than this in a game, I would
also use light gates to avoid human error. To improve my athletes speed I would work on his
technique as I believe at this level I don’t think he would have much previous training in his sprint
technique. After my athlete practising his technique and it being stored in his long term memory I
would perform speed training exercises e.g. 10 repetitions of the 30 metre dash with full recovery.
My first physiological priority- VO2 max, I have chosen this because at this level of rugby not
everyone is going to be extremely fit due to extrinsic factors ( work etc) which gives them less time
to train etc. As a defensive flanker my athlete will have to be very fit to continuously get from ruck to
ruck and tackle to tackle. With a high VO2 max this can be done at a higher intensity than the other
less conditioned players. To test my athletes VO2 max I would do a detailed VO2 max calculation
which is done in a laboratory, if I cannot get to a laboratory I would use an internet based one. To
improve my athletes VO2 max I would use interval training as it targets short bursts of high intensity
which will also be what my athlete will be working in a game situation.
My second physiological priority- Cardiac output, I have chosen this because when performing at this
level my athlete will need to be able to sustain fatigue for as long as possible. If he can improve his
cardiac output he will see results as his stroke volume will increase and his heart will be able to
utilise the blood better therefore it won’t have to beat as much meaning he won’t get as out of
breath thus sustaining fatigue for longer. To test my athletes cardiac output I will find out his stroke
volume and heart rate per minute. To improve cardiac output I would have my athlete do interval
training programme therefore increasing stroke volume part of cardiac output.
My third physiological priority- Muscular endurance, I have chosen this because my athlete has to
sustain high levels of activity for a long period of time. This applies especially to a defensive flanker
who has to travel the most across the pitch whilst hitting rucks and tackles. To test my athlete’s
muscular endurance I would do the push up and sit up tests. To improve my athletes muscular
endurance I would use a weight training programme with lower weight and high repetitions.

4. My first psychological priority- Arousal levels, I have chosen this because my athlete will only
perform best if he is in the optimum level of arousal/ zone of optimal functioning, if he is under
aroused he will have a below average performance which could result in him being dropped f rom
the team or if he is over aroused (catastrophe) this arousal will inhibit his performance resulting In
him missing cues and losing focus. To test my athlete’s arousal I would use a SCAT test. It would
really improve my athlete’s arousal levels but I would try and decrease the amount of times they
become under/ over aroused I would do this by trying to get them into the peak flow experience this
can be done through positive mental attitude with high levels of confidence, this makes them enjoy
of the optimum level of arousal.
My second psychological priority- Aggression, I have chosen this because rugby is a naturally
aggressive sport. If my athlete becomes too aggressive and became violent (physical or verbal) this
can result in punishment e.g. banning. Also if he becomes too aggressive it will affect his
performance as he will not be able reach success and catharsis. To test aggression I would do an
aggression questionnaire as I think this would give the most accurate measurement and can be
shaped to be sport specific. To train my athlete to not become over aggressive I would aggression
stopping/calming techniques like deep breathing this then can be taken onto the field of play.
My third psychological priority- self Confidence, I have chosen self-confidence because I think at the
level my athlete is playing he will see a lot of younger players already playing at his level which can
knock his confidence. There are also be a lot of other aspects that can knock his confidence
throughout the game/training. If he loses self-confidence this can affect his performance, if his
performance decreases this will result in him being dropped from the team therefore he will have no
self-confidence. To test my athlete’s self-confidence I would use the self-confidence test as this can
give me an accurate analysis of his confidence. To improve my athletes self-confidence I would have
the player, his teammates and the coach verbally give him praise when he completes a skill well.
My first bio-mechanical priority- Range of movement in shoulders for tackling, I have chosen this
because when tackling the attacker will be running at a great force which can put a lot of pressure
about the shoulder joint when my athlete is tackling. If my athlete doesn’t have enough range of
movement about the joint it can lead to injury. To test my athlete’s range of movement in the
shoulder I would get them to perform a series of active shoulder movements and see how far the
shoulder can move without causing discomfort and then a series of passive movements to again see
how far the shoulder can move without causing discomfort. To improve my athlete’s range of
movement in the shoulder I would do a series of stretching movements over a month as it will
increase the extendibility of soft tissue about that joint.
My second bio-mechanical priority- angular motion when passing a ball, when my athlete is passing
a certain amount of angular motion is needed as he will have to pass the ball slightly upwards so
when it gets to his teammates gravity will bring it down to a level where they can catch it
successfully, this changes the flight path (shape of parabola) so the vertical component isn’t as great
as the horizontal component otherwise the ball will just be thrown straight up. To measure my
athlete’s success rate in passing I would use video analysis and look at the flight path and angular
motion of the ball therefore knowing what flight the ball took in successful passing to unsuccessful
passes. To improve my athletes passing I would use different stimulus starting with unopposed to
relieve pressure then making him focus of the successful passing whilst eliminating the errors.

5. My third bio-mechanical priority- Moment of inertia in side stepping, I have chosen this because
when my athlete is trying to evade players he will try to side step or spin round them. I think that by
altering body shape ( high to low ) it is possible to change to moment of inertia of the performer and
either speed up or slow down rotation, by bringing the athletes mass in closer (arms tucked in) his
angular velocity will increase and he will be able to spin away from the tackle quicker. To measure
my athlete in this area I would use video analysis of his games and look at his success rates of the
evasion of the player and then see if he can control the moment of inertia by not over or under
rotating when spinning around a tackle. To improve my athletes side step I would create different
circumstances ( e.g. against a fixed defender ) where my athlete can practise controll ing the moment
of inertia.
Intrinsic and extrinsic factors.
My first intrinsic factor is sleep/rest, I have chosen this because my athlete will be training twice a
week and playing once a week. With this he will be doing personal work in the gym, because of the
level he is playing at he will have another job therefore the only time he will have to rest is in his
sleep. The average sleep for a male adult is 8 hours a night, but because of the amount of exercise
my athlete will be performing and having a day job I think he should have 9-10 hours’ sleep this will
give his body time to physically and mentally repair. A rest day would also help as it would give his
body more rest time physically and mentally, otherwise he could suffer from injury or stress.
http://www.pponline.co.uk/encyc/sports-psychology-post-game-recovery-for-rugby-players-1026
My second intrinsic factor is diet, I have chosen this because due to the vast number of training
sessions he will be burning a lot of calories and will need to replenish these stores. The average male
calorie intake in a day is between 2200-2800 I think my athlete should be eating 3000 plus on days of
high intense training, my athlete should not be eating this much on rest days. My athlete will also
need to eat a balance diet because too much of some groups can will hinder his performance on the
pitch.
http://inattheside.com/nutrition-on-inattheside-diet-of-a-rugby-player/
My third intrinsic factor is motivation, I have chosen this because at the level my athlete is
performing at it may be hard to stay motivated as younger players will be playing at the same level
as him this can be demoralizing. My athlete will need to stay motivated to keep performing at the
level he is, if he drops motivation this might result in his performance decreasing therefore he may
get dropped from the team. To stay motivated my athlete should set realistic goals, short term and
long term.
http://www.thesportinmind.com/articles/goal-setting/
My fourth extrinsic factor is group cohesion, I have chosen this because as my athlete and his team
mates will have to have task cohesion to perform at the level to be affective. They won’t be able to
perform if everyone has different goals and outcomes from games, with this the team cannot have
anyone slacking is known as the ringlemann effect and links to social loafing this creates a negative
atmosphere decreasing cohesion. Social cohesion is a good way to team bond and create team
cohesion

6. http://www.fitness4rugby.com/indexjs.html?/top_coach/enhancing_cohesion.htm#
My fifth extrinsic factor is time of the day, I have chosen this because my athlete and his team train
in the evening but play there games in the day time. A different times of the day we can be more
physically effective in sport, training and playing a different times can go on to affect our
performance within the game. The only problem with this is because of the level my athlete plays at
him and his team mates cannot train in the day due to other extrinsic factors (e.g. work) therefore it
will be hard for them to replicate this performance in game situations.
http://www.usta.com/Improve-Your-Game/Sport-
Science/116176_Exercise_Physiology_Does_time_of_Day_Impact_Performance/