A Kinanthropometric Profile of Elite U/18 Sevens Rugby Players in Southern Africa

A kinanthropometric profile of elite u/18 Sevens Rugby players in Southern Africa A. Zandberg 20378114 B.Sc., Hons. Dissertation submitted in fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Magister Scientiae in Sport Science at the Potchefstroom Campus of the North-West University Supervisor: Prof J.H. De Ridder Co-supervisor: Mnr P.H. van den Berg May 2015 THIS DISSERTATION IS DEDICATED TO MY PARENTS To my Father, Andries, and Mother, Annette, thank you for all the support you gave me throughout my life. Thank you for shaping me into the man I am today. Most of, all thank you for all your love! The Lord truly blessed me with the best parents any one could ever ask for. MY BROTHER Thanks bro it was fun growing up with you. Thank you for believing in me and always motivating me. OUPA JAN AND OUMA ANNA Oupa Jan and Ouma Anna, although you are no longer with us, although you have gone to be with our Lord your presence still remains. Thank you for the part you also played in my life! MARIUS Rest in peace my friend, can‘t wait to see you again someday. Foreword FOREWORD With great thanks to my Lord God Jehovah for helping me to complete this dissertation. Your blessings have no boundaries, Your love is unconditional and Your heart is unfathomable. My God is not dead I would like to thank the following people who also played a big role in the completion of this dissertation: To my beautiful and loving wife, Lize-marì. Princess you are truly the greatest blessing in my life. Thank you for all your support, love and for always believing in me! To my supervisor Prof. Hans, thank you for your guidance and wisdom. Thank you for your willingness to always listen and not getting side tracked by work but respecting the heart of your staff members. What a privilege and honour to work under your command. To my co-supervisor Coach Pieter, thank you for ―sticking‖ it out with me until the end! Thank you for the example you have set for me and all the help during the years I have worked with you. Thank you for not only being a boss but a mentor, not only a leader but a servant leader, not only a supervisor but also a friend! To all my family and friends who supported me throughout my life. Thank you for the privilege to be part of your lives. To my connect group who constantly prayed for me. To all my colleagues from the school for BRS. What a privilege it is working with you. To my parents-in-law for all your love and support. To Dr. Suria Ellis helping with the statistical consultation of this dissertation. To Prof. Lesley Ann Greyvenstein for the language editing of this dissertation. Courage does not always roar sometimes courage is that quiet voice at the end of the day saying, I’ll try again tomorrow. i Declaration DECLARATION The co-authors of the two articles, which form part of this dissertation, Prof. Hans de Ridder (Supervisor) and Mr. Pieter van den Berg (Co-supervisor) hereby, give permission to the candidate, Mr. Andries Zandberg to include the two articles as part of a Master‘s dissertation. The contribution (advisory and supportive) of the co-author was kept within reasonable limits, thereby enabling the candidate to submit this dissertation for examination purposes. This dissertation, therefore, serves as partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Magister Scientiae degree in Sport Science within the School of Biokinetics, Recreation and Sport Science in the Faculty of Health Sciences at the North-West University (Potchefstroom Campus), South Africa. ________________________ ________________________ Prof. Hans de Ridder Mr. Pieter van den Berg Supervisor and co-author Co-supervisor and co-author ii Summary SUMMARY The purpose of this study was to describe and compare the kinanthropometric variables of elite u/18 Southern Africa Sevens Rugby players. A comparison between the players was made to determine if differences in playing positions exists. A comparison was also made between successful and less successful players to determine if differences with regards to the player‘s kinanthropometrical characteristics will emerge. As no literature on adolescent Sevens Rugby players regarding kinanthropometry exists, this study also compiled a profile of the kinanthropometric characteristics of elite u/18 Sevens Rugby players. A total number of 164 Sevens Rugby players with a mean age of 17.4 (±0.7) years participated in the South African Schools‘ Rugby Association u/18 Sevens Tournament in October 2014. In compiling the kinanthropometric profile of the adolescent Sevens Rugby players, kinantropometric measurements were taken on each subject which consisted out of direct (stature, body mass, skinfolds, girths and breadths) and indirect (body mass index, body fat percentage, sum of 6 skinfolds, skeletal mass, muscle mass and somatotyping) measurements. The comparisons between the players in the different playing positions as well as between the playing successes were made by means of a one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), independent t-test, and descriptive statistics were used for the calculation of the means and standard deviation for all the dependant variables. The level of significance was set at p≤0.05. Effect sizes (ES) were calculated for differences between the positional groups as well as between the successful and less successful players to determine practical significance for all the values. While comparing the playing positions, practical significant differences occurred, with the forward players having greater kinanthropometric values compared to the backline players, with few to no differences emerging while compared to the all-rounder players. The backline players compared to the all-rounder players revealed a great deal of meaningful differences, but not to the same extent as when compared to the forward players. Differences between successful and less successful players regarding kinanthropometric measurements also emerged, although these differences were not very much, they were of statistical significant difference with the successful players being superior in these measurements compared to the less successful players. With regards to somatotype, all three playing positions as well as the successful players and less successful players indicated to have an iii Summary endomorphic mesomorph somatotype which is consistent to Rugby Union where it was discovered that an endomorphic mesomorph somatotype is most beneficial. The results, therefore, indicate that differences in playing positions and playing success exist in adolescent Sevens Rugby players with regards to their kinanthropometric variables. However, more research need to be done to determine if further differences between successful and less successful players regarding their kinanthropometrical characteristics might occur as Sevens Rugby begins to enjoy more attention amongst researchers especially regarding adolescent players. iv Opsomming OPSOMMING Die doel van hierdie studie was om die kinantropometriese veranderlikes van elite o/18 Suider- Afrikaanse Sewesrugbyspelers te beskryf en te vergelyk. ŉ Vergelyking tussen die spelers is gemaak om te bepaal of verskille in spelposisies bestaan. ŉ Vergelyking is ook getref tussen suksesvolle en minder suksesvolle spelers om te bepaal of verskille ten opsigte van die spelers se kinantropometriese eienskappe na vore sal kom. Aangesien geen literatuur ten opsigte van adolessente Sewesrugbyspelers ten opsigte van kinantropometrie bestaan nie, stel hierdie studie ook ŉ profiel saam van die eienskappe van elite o/18 Sewesrugbyspelers. ŉ Totale syfer van 164 Sewesrugbyspelers met ŉ gemiddelde ouderdom van 17.4 (±0.7) jaar het aan die Suid-Afrikaanse Skolerugbyvereniging se o/18-Sewestoernooi in Oktober 2014 deelgeneem. Met die samestelling van die kinantropometriese profiel van die adolessente Sewesrugbyspelers is kinantropometriese metings geneem van elke deelnemer, wat bestaan het uit direkte (liggaamslengte, liggaamsmassa, velvoue, omtrekke en deursneë) en indirekte (lengte-massa-indeks, liggaamsvetpersentasie, som van 6 velvoue, skeletmassa, spiermassa en somatotipering) metings. Die vergelykings tussen die spelers in die verskillende posisies sowel as tussen die spelsuksesse is getref deur middel van ŉ eenrigting-analise van variansie (ANOVA), en onafhanklike t-toets; en beskrywende statistieke is gebruik vir die berekening van die gemiddeldes en standaardafwyking van al die afhanklike veranderlikes. Die vlak van beduidendheid is gestel as p≤0.05. Effekgroottes (EG) is bereken vir verskille tussen die posisionele groepe sowel as tussen die suksesvolle en minder suksesvolle spelers om die praktiese beduidendheid vir al die waarde te bepaal. Met die vergelyking van die spelersposisies, het betekenisvolle verskille na vore gekom, met die voorryspelers wat superieur was in meeste van die kinantropometriese metings in vergelyking met die agterspelers, met min tot geen verskille wat na vore gekom het in vergelyking met die veelsydige spelers. Die agterlynspelers in vergelyking met die veelsydige spelers het ŉ groot mate van praktiese betekenisvolle verskille onthul, maar nie in dieselfde mate as wanneer vergelyk word met die voorryspelers nie. Verskille tussen suksesvolle en minder suksesvolle spelers ten opsigte van kinantropometriese metings het ook na vore gekom, en hoewel daar nie baie verskille voorgekom het nie, was hulle van statisties beduidende belang met die suksesvolle spelers wat superieur in hierdie metings was in vergelyking met die minder suksesvolle spelers. Ten opsigte van somatotipe

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