Rugby Lineout Study

Unit 5 Research Project
Worthing College Sports Science
Liam Lee
2015

‘To investigate the affect of
premiership standard back 5
forward height and the amount of
lineouts won per game.’
P2: Carry out / P4: Produce

Abstract
The aim of the study was to investigate the relationship between the
height of the starting back five forwards in elite level male rugby and
their lineout success rate. The study had a sample size of around 80
male professional rugby players who were involved in the Aviva rugby
premiership season between 2014-2015. the data for the study was
collected using the Aviva rugby premiership website. The data
collected was shown using excel on a spearmint rank order correlation
and on a scatter graph. The results on the spearmint correlation
showed that there was very little correlation between the height and
lineout success rate. One thing to look into in the future would be the
hookers throwing technique and if it affects accuracy and another
would be to look at the height of the lifters in the lineout as they can
have a huge part on the height of the lift.

Contents: General
Page 3 – Aim
Page 4 – Abstract
Page 5 – General contents
Page 6 – Contents appendices
Page 7 – Contents figures and tables
Page 8 – Acknowledgments
Page 9 – Introduction
Page 10 – Literature review and references
Page 11 – Project hypothesis
Page 12 – Method
Page 13 – Data collection
Page 14 – Data analysis
Page 15 – Results
Page 16 – Discussion
Page 17 – Conclusion
Page 18 – Assessment criteria page 19-26
Page 19 – Review 1/3
Page 22 – Future recommendations 1/5
Page 25 - Future recommendations 4/5
Page 26 - Future recommendations 5/5

Contents: Appendices
Page 27 – Research project appendices
Page 28 - Appendix 1

Contents: Figures and Tables
Page 33 - Research project figures and tables
Page 34 - Figures and tables 1/5

Acknowledgements
• I would like to thank my peers who have given
me advice throughout my project.
• I would also like to thank my teachers Mark
Sambrook and Paul Cox for their advice and
guidance throughout my project.

Introduction
My project is ‘To investigate the affect of
premiership standard back 5 forward height and
the amount of lineouts won per game.’ I chose
this aim because I wanted to see if the height of
the back five forwards affects lineout success
rates in elite level rugby. My timescale for this
project was one month.

Literature Review and References
Here is a link to my literature review.
https://worthingsportscience.wordpress.com/20
15/02/26/unit-5-literacy-review-liam-lee/

Project Hypothesis
1. At the end of my research project I expect to
find that teams with taller back five forwards
will have a better lineout success rate.
2. At the end of my research project I expect to
find that teams with the highest average
lineout success rate will have higher league
positions then those who have a low lineout
success rate.

Method
1. First create an excel document with all the Aviva premiership teams names down the side.
2. Add the columns 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, total height, average height, lineouts had, lineouts won and finally lineouts won
percentage.
3. Add calculations that will work out the total height for the combined heights of 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 and calculations
that will find the mean for their total combined heights.
4. Add calculations that will work out the lineout win percentage using the calculation: lineouts had divided by
lineouts won time 100 = the percentage of lineouts won. To see an example of the excel document see
(Appendix 1).
5. Copy this excel document four times saving them as round 1, round 7, round 15 and round 20.
6. Using Google, go to the Aviva premiership rugby fixtures and results webpage.
7. Go to round 1 and look at each game. Take the names of each teams starting back 5 forwards and research their
heights on the Aviva premiership rugby website and record them on your excel document (this is where excel
will need to calculate the total height for each team and the mean height for each team).
8. Then, on the same website, find each teams stats for the game showing lineouts had and lineouts won. Then
record these for each team on your excel document. (this is where excel will calculate each teams lineout
success percentage).
9. Do this for rounds 1, 7, 15 and 20 (putting each rounds results in the appropriate excel document).
10. Find the mean height and mean lineout win percentage for each team over the 4 rounds and make a scatter
graph and a spearman correlation graph (See figures and tables 1).
11. Write up a conclusion of what you found and your opinions.
P3: Collect and record / M2: Correctly analyse & describe techniques / D1: Correctly analyse & explain techniques

Data Collection
I carried out a desk based research project that
consisted of collecting secondary based
quantitative data from a reliable source (see
appendix 2). It consisted of looking at each teams
lineout stats for games 1,7,15 and 20 and recording
them in excel. It also consisted of looking at each
teams starting back 5 forwards and researching
their individual height using the teams official
webpage on the Aviva rugby site. The benefit of
using these sites to get my data is that they are a
reliable source whereas using a website such as
Wikipedia may not have accurate information.

Data Analysis
I will analyse my secondary data using excel by
looking at each teams average starting back 5
forwards height and comparing it to their
lineout win percentage. I will then make a
scatter graph on excel which will allow me to see
if there is a correlation between height and
lineout win percentage. I will also make a
spearmint correlation graph which will allow me
to see if there is any correlation between height
and lineout win percentage.

Results
My results show that there is a very low
correlation between the height of the back 5
starting forwards and the lineout win
percentage in the Aviva rugby premiership (see
figures and tables 2 and 3).

Discussion
I found that the average height of Aviva premiership
rugby teams starting back 5 forwards has no
correlation to them having a better lineout success
rate. This finding was not what I expected as I
thought the opposite and so this result was quite a
surprise to me. The trend that I identified was that
the average height of the back 5 forwards rarely
changed and was quite consistent throughout my
project, this indicates to me that the height of the
team which is picked is not a tactical decision.

Conclusion
‘To investigate the affect of premiership standard back 5
forward height and the amount of lineouts won per game.’
My key trends were that all the sources will support my
research project. Another is that all my sources are valid and
will help me during my project. Another key trend is that my
sources are all looking at elite level male athletes. And finally
that they are all related to the height and weight of athletes.
Overall, my results did not support my hypotheses and my
results were not what I expected as they showed that there
was no correlation between average height of the back 5
forwards and lineout win percentage

Review (1/3)
My project conclusion did not meet my project
aims very well at all. My conclusion found no
correlation between what I was looking into (as
shown on figures and tables 2) and so has left
me a bit disappointed as I truly thought there
would be one. My conclusion also did not prove
any of my hypotheses which was also a
disappointment.
P5: Describe / M3: Explain / D2: Justify

Review (2/3)
• One strength of my research project is the
reliability of my data because I used a very
accurate and reliable source (see appendix 2).
• Another strength is the organisation of my data
and how it has been presented on excel. This is a
strength as the data can easily been seen (See
figures and tables 1,2 and 3).
• Another strength of my research project is the
validity of my data. It is valid because it allows me
to clearly see whether height affects lineout win
percentage.

Review (3/3)
My area to improve during my project would be
to set dates in which research will be completed
and stick to them in order to stay on track and
keep up to date with work. This will allow me to
plan my time more effectively and will allow me
to know exactly what I should be doing and
when.

Future Recommendations (1/5)
If I was to do this project again I would take into
account the hookers throw more. I would do this
as from my research in this project I have
learned that different hookers use different
techniques when throwing with one of the
techniques proving to be the more accurate. I
would choose this as I feel that the hookers
throw can have a real affect on how successful a
lineout is and by doing research on it I would be
able to justify that statement further.
P4: Produce / P5: Describe / M3: Explain / D2: Justify

The benefit of taking the hookers throw into
account would be that you would be able to see
which is more effective in terms of the lineout,
the height of the back 5 forwards or the hookers
throw accuracy/technique. It will also help
support whether this research projects aim was
correct or whether it could be questioned with
evidence to back it up.

Look into the hookers accuracy/technique when
throwing in more depth. As during my project I
learned that different throwing techniques
affect accuracy.

Look at the height of the lifters in the lineout. I
think this would be a good thing to look into as
taller lifters can get more height in the lift which
could course a tactical advantage.

Repeat the same research project but over the
whole season with a longer timescale. This will
give more accurate results over a season which
will make them more valid. This will help me get
a real look at whether height does affect lineout
success rate over a season.

Appendix 1
Here is a photo of my excel sheet used to show
data I collected.

Appendix 2
http://www.premiershiprugby.com/

Research Project Figures
and Tables

Rugby Lineout Study

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