Chiwaridzo M, Mudawarima T, Shumba T W, Ferguson G D, Smits-Engelsman B C
Department of Occupational and Physiotherapy, Faculty of Health Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, University of Namibia, Windhoek, Namibia.
Rehabilitation Unit, Department of Primary Health Care Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Zimbabwe, Harare, Zimbabwe.
S Afr J Sports Med. 2024 Jan 15;36(1):v36i1a18525. doi: 10.17159/2078-516X/2024/v36i1a18525. eCollection 2024.
Rugby has not grown extensively in Africa compared to other continents, necessitating talent identification (TID) programs to recruit junior talent. However, it is unclear which physical characteristics and rugby-specific game skills to base the objective recruitment of potentially talented young players.
This study profiled the physical fitness characteristics and rugby-specific game skills of schoolboy rugby players by playing standards to identify variables differentiating elite from sub-elite players from Under 16 (U16) to U19 age categories. The study further compared Zimbabwean cohort data with similar data from international/regional countries.
A cross-sectional design was utilised with 158 Zimbabwean schoolboy players playing competitive (elite) and noncompetitive (sub-elite) rugby. The participants were measured for anthropometrics, speed, agility, upper-and-lower-muscular strength/power, muscle flexibility, prolonged high-intensity intermittent running ability, repeated high-intensity exercise performance ability, tackling, passing, and catching abilities.
For U16s, Vertical Jump (VJ), 2kg Medicine Ball Chest Throw (2kg MBCT), Wall-Sit-Leg Strength (WSLS), Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery Level 1 (Yo-Yo IRL1), Tackling and Catching Ability tests discriminated elite from sub-elite players. Among U19s, the following tests differentiated elite from sub-elite players: VJ, 2kg MBCT, WSLS, 20-m/40-m linear speed, 60-s Push Up, One-Repetition Maximum Back Squat (IRM BS), 1RM Bench Press (BP), Repeated High-Intensity Exercise (RHIE), Tackling and Passing Ability. Elite Zimbabwean schoolboy rugby players were significantly leaner, slower, and "weaker" than their international/regional counterparts.
The results suggest important physical fitness characteristics and rugby-specific game skills for future identification of potentially talented players at U16/U19 categories.
与其他大洲相比，橄榄球在非洲的发展并不广泛，因此需要通过人才识别（TID）计划来招募青少年人才。然而，目前尚不清楚应以哪些身体特征和特定于橄榄球的比赛技能作为客观招募潜在有天赋的年轻球员的依据。
本研究根据比赛标准对男学生橄榄球运动员的身体素质特征和特定于橄榄球的比赛技能进行了剖析，以确定区分16岁以下（U16）至19岁年龄组精英球员和次精英球员的变量。该研究还将津巴布韦队列数据与来自国际/地区国家的类似数据进行了比较。
采用横断面设计，对158名参加竞争性（精英）和非竞争性（次精英）橄榄球比赛的津巴布韦男学生球员进行研究。对参与者进行了人体测量、速度、敏捷性、上下肢肌肉力量/功率、肌肉柔韧性、长时间高强度间歇跑能力、重复高强度运动表现能力、擒抱、传球和接球能力的测试。
对于U16组，垂直跳跃（VJ）、2公斤药球胸前投掷（2kg MBCT）、靠墙静蹲腿部力量（WSLS）、Yo-Yo间歇恢复水平1（Yo-Yo IRL1）、擒抱和接球能力测试可区分精英球员和次精英球员。在U19组中，以下测试可区分精英球员和次精英球员：VJ、2kg MBCT、WSLS、20米/40米直线速度、60秒俯卧撑、一次重复最大重量深蹲（IRM BS）、一次重复最大重量卧推（BP）、重复高强度运动（RHIE）、擒抱和传球能力。津巴布韦精英男学生橄榄球运动员比国际/地区同龄人明显更瘦、速度更慢且“力量更弱”。
研究结果表明了重要的身体素质特征和特定于橄榄球的比赛技能，有助于未来识别U16/U19年龄组中潜在的有天赋球员。
