Assessing the locomotor demands of international men's and women's rugby sevens match-play according to passage of play.

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of discrete passages of play on locomotor demands of international men's and women's rugby sevens matches and their relationship with winning or losing. Thirteen men's and thirteen women's international rugby sevens players wore 10 Hz Global Positioning Systems during twelve Tokyo Olympic games matches (966 observations; 507 for men, 459 for women). Discrete ball-in-play periods were categorised as: 'Single-phase defence', 'single-phase attack', 'multi-phase defence', 'multi-phase attack', 'multi-phase defence to attack', or 'multi-phase attack to defence'. Relative total distance, alongside high-speed (>5.0 m∙s-1), acceleration (>3 m∙s-2), and deceleration (>3 m∙s-2) distances were recorded for each passage. Separately for men and women, linear mixed models examined the effect of passage type and match outcome (win or loss) on locomotor demands, whilst controlling for opposition ranking. In men, relative total distance ranged from 137 m∙min-1 to 174 m∙min-1 for 'multi-phase defence to attack' and 'multi-phase attack', respectively. In women, 'multi-phase attack' elicited the lowest relative total distance (118 m∙min-1), whereas the greatest values (186 m∙min-1) were recorded for 'single-phase defence'. For men, there were significant interactions between match outcome and passage type for relative total (p<0.001) and high-speed (p = 0.006) distance. During 'multi-phase attack', relative total distance was greater for wins versus losses (174 vs 138 m.min-1, p = 0.024). However, for 'single-phase defence', relative total distance was lower for wins (128 vs 164 m.min-1, p<0.001). For women, there were significant interactions between match outcome and passage type for relative total (p = 0.036), high-speed (p = 0.003), and deceleration (p = 0.015) distances. Locomotor responses were influenced by passage type and match result for men and women. Knowing the demands of each passage type may inform training drills targeted at developing match-play-specific physical, technical, and tactical adaptations. Understanding how passages differ between matches won and lost could also inform team technical/tactical preparation including selection.

Angle-specific analysis of knee strength deficits after ACL reconstruction with patellar and hamstring tendon autografts.

After anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR), there are differences in the neuromuscular deficits observed in patients with bone-patellar tendon-bone (BPTB) and with hamstring tendon (HT) autografts. The differences in knee extensor and flexor strength are commonly reported, but analyses have largely focused on peak torque metrics despite the requirement to generate torque through range when returning to sport. The aim of this study was to investigate the angle-specific strength and strength asymmetry differences between BPTB and HT around the time of return to play after ACLR. A total of 357 male field sport athletes with either a BPTB (n = 297) or an HT (n = 60) autograft underwent concentric knee flexor and extensor isokinetic strength testing 9 months post-ACLR. Angle-specific torques were compared between grafts and limbs using 1D Statistical Parametric Mapping and discrete-point variables. Inter-limb extensor torque asymmetry was greater in BTPB than HT at knee angles of >30° (p = 0.001, peak d = 5.53), with flexor torque asymmetry lower in BPTB than HT at flexion angles of >25° (p = 0.001, peak d = 2.68). Angle of maximum asymmetry and angle of operated limb peak torque differed in knee extension for BPTB (p < 0.001, d = 0.32) but not HT, whereas knee flexion angle of maximum asymmetry and operated limb peak torque differed in both BTPB (p < 0.001, d = 0.75) and HT (p < 0.001, d = 0.43). Graft type affected extensor torque at knee angles of 67°-85° and flexor torque at knee angles of 27°-85°. Angle-specific strength analysis may inform the rehabilitation process and improve rehabilitation and return-to-play decision making strategies in comparison with the use of peak torque values alone.