_________________________________________________________________________Swansea University E-Theses Methodological advances for assessing individual and team performances in elite rugby union. Jones, Nicholas Michael Pringle How to cite: _________________________________________________________________________ Jones, Nicholas Michael Pringle (2006) Methodological advances for assessing individual and team performances in elite rugby union.. thesis, Swansea University. http://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa42814 Use policy: _________________________________________________________________________ This item is brought to you by Swansea University. Any person downloading material is agreeing to abide by the terms of the repository licence: copies of full text items may be used or reproduced in any format or medium, without prior permission for personal research or study, educational or non-commercial purposes only. The copyright for any work remains with the original author unless otherwise specified. The full-text must not be sold in any format or medium without the formal permission of the copyright holder. Permission for multiple reproductions should be obtained from the original author. Authors are personally responsible for adhering to copyright and publisher restrictions when uploading content to the repository. Please link to the metadata record in the Swansea University repository, Cronfa (link given in the citation reference above.) http://www.swansea.ac.uk/library/researchsupport/ris-support/ Department of Sports Science University of Wales Swansea Methodological Advances for Assessing Individual and Team Performance in Elite Rugby Union Nicholas Michael Pringle Jones Doctor of Philosophy February 2006 ProQuest Number: 10821201 All rights reserved INFORMATION TO ALL USERS The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy submitted. In the unlikely event that the author did not send a com plete manuscript and there are missing pages, these will be noted. Also, if material had to be removed, a note will indicate the deletion. uest ProQuest 10821201 Published by ProQuest LLC(2018). Copyright of the Dissertation is held by the Author. All rights reserved. This work is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States C ode Microform Edition © ProQuest LLC. ProQuest LLC. 789 East Eisenhower Parkway P.O. Box 1346 Ann Arbor, Ml 48106- 1346 <^eRS/7> ^ < ► l ib r a r y A b st r a c t Appropriate methodologies were devised for constructing and assessing individual and team performance in rugby union with an emphasis on providing practical solutions for the coach or performance analyst. The Noldus ‘Observer Video-Pro5 analysis system (Noldus Information Technology, 1995) was used for all data collection with appropriate tests for reliability and validity conducted. Parsons and Hughes (2001) indicated varying skill demands of different rugby playing positions but within position differences were not investigated. The first study consequently created performance profiles for all playing positions, via the use of individual performance indicators (Pis), using all players used in 22 matches of the domestic season of a professional male rugby union team. A novel transformation to account for the time a player spent on the field was devised. Furthermore it was suggested that the appropriate descriptive statistics for presenting non-parametric summary information was via the median and confidence limits for a population median. Significant differences were observed between individuals of the same position for the most frequently performed Pis (passing, carrying and tackling for forward positions and passing, carrying, tackling and kicking for the backs) of all the playing positions tested. The findings suggested that while general positional performance profiles appear to exist, intra-positional differences may occur due to variations in an individual's style of play and physical attributes. Hunter and O’Donoghue (2001) suggested specific indicators that differentiated successful and unsuccessful rugby union teams, although between team differences may have contributed to this. Twenty further matches of the same team used for study 1 were analysed using additional Pis designed to analyse team performance. Some of the existing individual Pis were also modified, with off the ball behaviours added to enhance individual profiles. Only two of the team Pis (lineout success on the opposition throw and tries scored) revealed statistical differences between winning and losing performances although a general trend of superior performance was found when the team was winning. The individuality within positional roles that was found in study 1 was further tested and revealed that only one of 13 players’ ball-in-hand behaviours differed significantly between two different seasons despite a considerable change in the remainder of the playing personnel. Bracewell (2003a) used control charts to create individual performance scores although no attempt was made to encapsulate team performance. Thus, objective methods of scoring team performance were presented using a single score measure of performance through the use of PI weightings (study 3a), and secondly via the combination of comparative scores for a match (study 3b) using the same 20 matches as study 2. Study 3a calculated a single score using PI weightings based on correlation coefficients between 31 Pis and two elite coaches’ assessment of overall match performance. These coefficients squared were multiplied with the performance value of each PI in a given match and combined to form the single score. Of the models tested, the one containing all Pis was found to have the smallest mean bias for scores out of 100 for both wet (4.18) and dry (1.14) conditions, a high correlation (r= 0.77 wet, 0.85 dry) and no significant difference (p= 0.35 wet, 0.88 dry) with the coach scores. This suggested that the model predicted coach scores and thus match performance well, although some variance remained. Further work is needed to assess the applicability of this approach, preferably using coach evaluations for validation purposes only. Study 3b used 18 Pis from the 20 thmatch of the same sample, standardised relative to the previous 5 and 19 matches producing distributions of median 50 and interquartile range 15. The standardised values were plotted on a ‘form chart’ to provide a visual assessment of each PI on one scale. This, coupled with non-standardised descriptive statistics, provided comprehensive and simple to understand feedback on performance relative to previously accomplished standards that can easily be used within a practical setting for any multi-faceted sport. This thesis has investigated individual and team Pis and found that rugby union performance is best characterised by a number of comparative Pis. Future research needs to utilise this methodology to assess comparative strengths and weaknesses between different teams. D e c la r a t io n This work has not previously been accepted in substance for any degree and is not being concurrently submitted in candidature for any degree. Signed.. .... (Candidate) / Date.. t ± / Q z / l C P ^ ............................... St a t e m e n t 1 This thesis is the result of my own investigations, except where otherwise stated. Other sources are acknowledged by footnotes giving explicit references. Signed.. .... (Candidate) M ........................................... St a t e m e n t 2 I hereby give consent for my thesis, if accepted, to be available for photocopying and for inter-library loan, and for the title and summary to be made available to outside organisations. Signed (Candidate) Date %±/o&/y?9£........................................... iv The findings contained in this thesis have been published as follows: Peer Reviewed Journal Articles Jones, James, N. and Mellalieu, S.D. (2005). The development of objective methodologies for scoring team performance in elite rugby union. Manuscript submitted to Journal o f Sports Sciences. James, N., Mellalieu, S.D. and Jones, N.M.P. (2005). The development of position- specific performance indicators in professional rugby union. Journal o f Sports Sciences, 23, 63-72. James, N., Jones, N.M.P. and Mellalieu, S.D. (2004). Decision making performance profiles in elite rugby union. In Performance Analysis o f Sport VI (edited by P. O’Donoghue andM.D. Hughes), pp. 123-129. Cardiff: UWIC. Jones, N.M.P., Mellalieu, S.D. and James, N. (2004). Team performance indicators in rugby union as a function of winning and losing. International Journal of Performance Analysis in Sport , 4(1), 61-71. Jones, N.M.P., Mellalieu, S.D., James, N. and Moise, J. (2004). Contact area playing styles of northern and southern hemisphere international rugby union teams. In Performance Analysis o f Sport VI (edited by P. O’Donoghue and M.D. Hughes), pp. 114-119. Cardiff: UWIC. Peer Reviewed Conference Abstracts James, N., Jones, N.M.P. and Mellalieu, S.D. (2005). The applicability and accuracy of a single score measure of performance in rugby union. Presented at the British Association o f Sports and Exercise Sciences Annual Conference 2005. Loughborourgh, England. Jones, N.M.P., James, N. and Mellalieu, S.D. (2005). An objective presentation of team performance in rugby union using a ‘form chart’. Presented at the British Association o f Sports and Exercise Sciences Annual Conference 2005. Loughborough, England. James, N., Jones, N.M.P. and Mellalieu, S.D. (2004). A comparison of individuals’