BODY SIZE, SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS, AND TRAINING BACKGROUND OF A SELECT GROUP OF U16 SOUTH AFRICAN RUGBY UNION PLAYERS (2010-2013): THE IMPACT ON NATIONAL SELECTION A DISSERTATION PREPARED BY ROBIN ARKELL (ARKROB001) IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE MASTER OF PHILOSOPHY DEGREE IN BIOKINETICS (MPHIL BIOKINETICS) FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF CAPE TOWN DECEMBER 2015 SUPERVISOR: University of Cape Town PROF. M.I.LAMBERT, PHD DIVISION OF EXERCISE SCIENCE AND SPORTS MEDICINE, DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN BIOLOGY, FACULTY OF HEALTH SCIENCES, UNIVERSITY OF CAPE TOWN 1 | Page The copyright of this thesis vests in the author. No quotation from it or information derived from it is to be published without full acknowledgement of the source. The thesis is to be used for private study or non- commercial research purposes only. Published by the University of Cape Town (UCT) in terms of the non-exclusive license granted to UCT by the author. University of Cape Town BODY SIZE, SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS, AND TRAINING BACKGROUND OF A SELECT GROUP OF U16 SOUTH AFRICAN RUGBY UNION PLAYERS (2010-2013): THE IMPACT ON NATIONAL SELECTION Mr. Robin Arkell B(Hons) Biokinetics Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (NSCA) Master of Philosophy in Biokinetics Department of Human Biology Faculty of Health Sciences University of Cape Town Correspondence Robin Arkell Department of Human Biology Faculty of Health Sciences University of Cape Town 3rd Floor Sports Science Institute of South Africa Boundary Road Newlands, 7700 Cape Town South Africa Email: [email protected] 2 | Page DECLARATION I, Robin Anthony Webster Arkell, hereby declare that the work on which this dissertation is based is my original work (except where acknowledgements indicate otherwise) and that neither the whole work nor any part of it has been, is being, or is to be submitted for another degree in this or any other university. No part of this dissertation may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or means without prior permission in writing from the author or the University of Cape Town. 3 | Page ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to thank the following people for their support and assistance in completing this thesis as part of the requirements for the Master of Philosophy in Biokinetics postgraduate degree • My parents • My friends and family • My supervisor, Professor Mike Lambert, PhD • The University of Cape Town Rugby Club 4 | Page TABLE OF CONTENTS DECLARATION .................................................................................................................................... 3 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS .................................................................................................................... 4 LIST OF TABLES ................................................................................................................................... 7 LIST OF FIGURES ................................................................................................................................. 9 LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS ................................................................................................................ 10 ABSTRACT ........................................................................................................................................... 12 CHAPTER 1: ......................................................................................................................................... 15 1.1 Introduction and scope of thesis ..................................................................................................... 15 CHAPTER 2: ......................................................................................................................................... 19 Literature review ................................................................................................................................... 19 2.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................................. 19 2.2 Rugby ........................................................................................................................................... 22 2.3 Demands of rugby ....................................................................................................................... 26 2.4 Factors associated with success in rugby .................................................................................... 30 2.5 SiZe .............................................................................................................................................. 31 2.5.1 Body mass and stature ......................................................................................................... 33 2.6 Youth rugby ................................................................................................................................. 36 2.7 Weight training in the youth ....................................................................................................... 37 2.7.1 The Long Term Athlete Development (LTAD) model ............................................................ 37 2.8 LTAD and weight training ............................................................................................................ 38 2.9 Rugby in South Africa .................................................................................................................. 40 2.9.1 Youth tournaments .............................................................................................................. 41 2.9.2 Player talent identification and development ...................................................................... 43 2.10 Factors influencing talent identification and development ...................................................... 44 2.11 Transformation in South Africa: What are the issues? .............................................................. 46 2.12 Socioeconomic status: the impact on physical development ................................................... 49 2.13 Summary ................................................................................................................................... 51 CHAPTER 3: ......................................................................................................................................... 54 Body siZe, socioeconomic status, and training background of a select group of U16 South African rugby union players (2010-2013): the impact on national selection. ................................................... 54 3.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................................. 54 3.2 Methods ...................................................................................................................................... 56 3.3 Results ......................................................................................................................................... 59 5 | Page 3.3.1 Body mass ............................................................................................................................ 59 3.3.2 Stature .................................................................................................................................. 61 3.3.3 Playing experience ................................................................................................................ 63 3.3.4 Socioeconomic status ........................................................................................................... 64 3.3.5 Weight training ..................................................................................................................... 67 3.3.6 Physical siZe requirements for national squad selection among a group of U16 rugby players ........................................................................................................................................... 69 3.4 Discussion .................................................................................................................................... 85 3.5 Conclusion ................................................................................................................................... 92 CHAPTER 4: ......................................................................................................................................... 93 4.1 Practical applications and recommendations ............................................................................. 93 4.2 Limitations ................................................................................................................................... 96 REFERENCES ..................................................................................................................................... 99 6 | Page LIST OF TABLES Table 1: Body mass of all players (n = 1528) who attended Grant Khomo week from 2010 to 2013. Data are divided by race and reported as mean ± SD. .......................................................................... 71 Table 2: Comparison of body mass over time (2010 – 2013) and between players of different races (n = 1530) selected into the national squad (N S) versus players not selected for the national squad (Non N S). Data are shown as mean ± SD. ...................................................................................................... 72 Table 3: Stature of all players (n = 1495) who attended Grant Khomo