A 3-Dimensional analysis of different tee placements, in Rugby Union place kicking for achieving distance.

Placekicking (PK) is becoming more important in the game of rugby union contributing 40-60% of points in a game. Techniques have evolved by raising the ball off the ground which is where the focus of this investigation lies with different angles of placement. In 1986 Paul Thorburn set the record for the longest successful kick in international rugby of 64.2m with the ball leant back; the opposite of the current elite level kickers who choose to set the ball leant forwards. The aim of the investigation is to discover which is the most effective method for achieving distance. Five volunteer male representative level rugby union kickers took five kicks in four conditions (total of 20 kicks). The independent variable of different angles of ball placement; leant backwards (LB), straight up (SU), leant forward (LF) and ‘torpedo style’ (TS). Three-dimensional kinematic data was gathered at 250 Hz (Vicon T-Series). The dependent variables of overall distance (m) (OD), functional distance (m)(FD), launch angle (°) (LA),ball velocity (m/s) (BV), longitudinal spin (rpm)(LOS), foot velocity (m/s) (FV), the amount of distance lost from the height of the crossbar and the between the centre of masses of the kicking foot (FCOM) and ball (BCOM). The investigation was conducted with a multiple case study design with each variable compared between the conditions to understand which condition produced the greatest functional distance. Two out of three participants showed that LB produced there greatest FD with a group mean (GM) of 46.72±7.38m. The GM’s for LB (the most effective method) were as follows: BV-24.01±2.3m/s, LOS- 421.7±38.7rpm, LA-30.57±2.9° and COM distance- 0.13±0.04m. The distance lost from the height of the cross bar was 1.95m for all conditions. The GM for FV ranged 17.84-18.17m/s. LB producing a greater FD comes as result of the interaction of the foot with the ball. With the ball leant back the FCOM is closer to the BCOM as well as placing more of the mass of the ball behind the centre of mass of the foot. It is a case of LB maximising BV, minimising distance between FCOM and BCOM and optimising LA and LO. This investigation’s findings can be used to inform practitioners on how to improve FD without the use of specific strength training, instead a minor change in the angle of ball placement on the tee