Rugby 7s is a fast paced, high intensity team game, adapted from rugby union, which requires a combination of physical fitness, technical ability, and tactical awareness (Higham, Hopkins, Pyne & Anson, 2014a). Physical fitness has been a well-researched area within the sport (Van Rooyen, Lomard & Noakes, 2008; Elloumi, Makni, Moalla, Bouaziz, Tabka, Lac & Chamari, 2012; Suarez-Arrones, Nuñez, Portillo & Mendez-Villanueva, 2012). The technical ability has been reported in coaching literature, mostly taken from rugby union, due to the shared skills between the two sports, and the increased literature in rugby union (Corless, 1985; Johnson, 1993; Biscombe & Drewett, 1998). Barkell, O’Conner and Cotton (2016) state how the research into the tactical performances of teams is still undeveloped in comparison to its technical and physical counterparts. While the research has increased since rugby 7s has been included in the Olympics there are still major gaps (Fuller, Taylor & Raftery, 2017), particularly in the female game (Barkell, O’Conner & Cotton, 2016).
Observational analysis allows coaches and players to objectify complex movement patterns and events (O’Donoghue, 2010). Performance indicators, which are directly related to a performance outcome, are analysed to assess how frequently an event takes place within a team or teams (Hughes & Bartlett, 2002). This helps to understand which parts of the game are integral to success. For this reason the performance outcomes start with the match outcome and are then developed to more detailed areas of the game (Hughes & Bartlett, 2002).
Previous studies have carried out observational analysis of the rugby 7s World Series. This however, does not ensure that teams are executing the tactics they believe are most effective to win games as they will be hiding tactics from future oppositions (Higham, Hopkins, Pyne & Anson, 2014b). This study presents data of winning teams from the 2018 7s Rugby World Cup where each game was a knockout game, ensuring that all games were played with a team’s best efforts.
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Due to the limited research of rugby 7s, the identification of performance indicators is taken from rugby union because of the shared rules (Higham, Hopkins, Pyne & Anson, 2014a). Bremner, Robinson, and Williams (2013) reported that having dominance of the ruck, in rugby union, in attack and defence results in scoring points and winning games. This is largely due to control at the ruck allowing teams to retain possession for long periods of time and prevent the opposition from doing so. It also results in being able to control the speed at which the game is played at so that teams can utilize their strengths and exploit the opposition’s weaknesses (Barkell, O’Conner & Cotton, 2018).
Performance indicators at the ruck can be categorised into technical approaches and tactical approaches (Higham, Hopkins, Pyne & Anson, 2014a). Technical ability may increase the chances of winning an individual ruck. Analysing technique however, does not provide the detail of a team, needed to allow coaches to find ways of consistently exploiting the opposition. The analysis of tactical play of winning teams allows for elite level coaches to devise a style of play associated with winning, and to differentiate tactical play for different environmental states (Garganta, 2009).
The purpose of this study is to identify whether the ruck is an indicator of success in rugby 7s. It also aims to identify how teams use the ruck to be successful, and whether this differs in men’s and women’s games.