RESEARCH ARTICLE Application of Individualized Speed Thresholds to Interpret Position Specific Running Demands in Elite Professional Rugby Union: A GPS Study

A number of studies have used GPS technology to categorise rugby union locomotive demands. However, the utility of the results of these studies is confounded by small sample sizes, sub-elite player status and the global application of absolute speed thresholds to all player positions. Furthermore, many of these studies have used GPS units with low sam-pling frequencies. The aim of the present study was to compare and contrast the high speed running (HSR) demands of professional rugby union when utilizing micro-technology units sampling at 10 Hz and applying relative or individualised speed zones. The results of this study indicate that application of individualised speed zones results in a significant shift in the interpretation of the HSR demands of both forwards and backs and positional sub-cat-egories therein. When considering the use of an absolute in comparison to an individualised HSR threshold, there was a significant underestimation for forwards of HSR distance (HSRD) (absolute = 269 ± 172.02, individualised = 354.72 ± 99.22, p < 0.001), HSR% (absolute = 5.15 ± 3.18, individualised = 7.06 ± 2.48, p < 0.001) and HSR efforts (HSRE) (absolute = 18.81 ± 12.25; individualised = 24.78 ± 8.30, p < 0.001). In contrast, there was