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Physical fitness of elite women's rugby union players over a ...

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male <strong>rugby</strong> <strong>players</strong> may be associated with greater training volume during field conditioning<br />

sessions. the greater conditioning volume (Gabbett, 2005a).<br />

2.6 SUMMARY<br />

Traditionally, the game <strong>of</strong> <strong>rugby</strong> <strong>union</strong> has been a male dominated sport. Acceptance <strong>of</strong> the<br />

female game by the International Rugby Board (IRB) has resulted in the emergence <strong>of</strong> a<br />

structured international competition being the World Cup. Rugby <strong>union</strong> is a contact sport in<br />

which <strong>players</strong> requires high levels <strong>of</strong> physical <strong>fitness</strong> which is a composite <strong>of</strong> aerobic and<br />

anaerobic endurance, muscle strength and power, speed and agility.With <strong>rugby</strong> <strong>union</strong><br />

increasingly being played year round, a greater emphasis has being placed on the development<br />

and maintenance <strong>of</strong> physical <strong>fitness</strong> levels. Much research has been conducted with male<br />

<strong>rugby</strong> <strong>players</strong>, but very little with females. Therefore, the aim <strong>of</strong> this study is to contribute the<br />

knowledge <strong>of</strong> coaches by describing anthropometric and physical characteristics <strong>of</strong> an <strong>elite</strong><br />

women’s <strong>rugby</strong> <strong>union</strong> within a competition season.<br />

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