The Young Rugby Player: Science and Application provides a comprehensive and accessible overview of the recent research behind the preparation, development and performance of the young rugby player. Each chapter concludes with key take-home messages and practical applications demonstrating how practitioners can provide evidence-informed delivery with the young rugby athlete. The book highlights how research and science can inform practice including coaching, sport science, player development and performance with the young rugby player. Each author is a world leader within their respective discipline including academics and practitioners who research and practice across youth rugby. The book includes chapters on: • Introducing the young rugby player, including topics related to growth and maturation, talent identification and development and understanding the demands of youth rugby. • Understanding and developing the young rugby player, including topics related to physical, psycho-social, technical and tactical development, alongside training practices and fatigue and recovery. • Other hot topics including nutrition, injury, concussion and injury prevention and the female young rugby player. This text is vital reading for all coaches, sport scientists, strength and conditioning coaches and all academics with an interest in the science and practical application of working with the young rugby player.

Step-by-step photographs in this book introduce young enthusiasts to rugby union, with instructions on how to perform individual techniques and more advanced team skills. It also gives advice on how to scrum safely; explains player's roles in a line-out; how rucks and mauls are formed; how to pass the ball cleanly; tackle effectively and score a winning try.

Youth Rugby provides a summary of the latest and most up-to-date research evidence in relation to developing the youth rugby player. The book provides an overview of the latest scientific research for key topics related to the youth rugby player across the codes of rugby (union, league and 7’s; mainly league and union in youth players) whilst also summarising the quality of the evidence available and the limitations of this research and highlighting key future research directions. The book covers a range of fundamental scientific topics relating to paediatric exercise science, human physiology, youth athletic development and high-performance sport. Each author is an experienced researcher within their respective discipline related to the youth rugby player. The book includes chapters on: • Long-term athletic development, growth and maturation, talent identification and the physical demands of youth rugby training and match-play. • Physical characteristics and the current evidence behind training methods to promote desired physical qualities. • Fatigue and recovery, the tackle, psychosocial development, nutrition and injury prevalence and prevention. This text is essential reading for all scientists, students and applied researchers wanting to develop world-class, evidence-based programmes for their youth athletes.

The ideal introduction to mini and youth rugby for parents and coaches, showing how young players should be properly introduced to the game of rugby. The book Includes sections on: - The game and the rules - Positions in rugby - Drills for passing, catching and scoring - Skills for attack - Skills for defense It also includes an introduction to the bigger issues away from the pitch that parents and coaches must deal with, including: - How to develop the right ethos for a rugby team - Coaching boys versus girls - Elite player development This essential guide contains information on all game situations, with simple explanations of essential techniques and tactics to be learned, before moving on to more advanced explanations of the skills required of the game. Accessible and practical, this book is packed full of useful coaching advice, complete with diagrams and full-colour photographs. www.miniandyouthrugby.com

With photos of the great players of today and with a foreword by Colin Cowdray, this text looks at the task of improving the skills of young players in the 14 - 18 age group.

Over the last 20 years the professionalization of both codes of rugby (league and union) has led to increasing demands on players. The Science of Sport: Rugby provides a comprehensive and accessible overview of the science behind preparing for performance in rugby. Using key scientific research and practical applications, the book offers an insight into how science can inform practice to improve player performance. The authors contributing to this book are world leading in their respective fields, ranging from academics researching rugby performance to practitioners delivering this information within the professional game. This new book covers: movement and physiological demands; fitness testing; fatigue and recovery; nutrition; strength and conditioning; injury rehabilitation; decision-making; skill assessments; young rugby players; talent identification and development; referees and finally, coaching planning and practice. This book bridges the gap between theory and practical application and includes forewords by Sir Ian McGeechan, OBE, Kevin Sinfield, MBE and Jamie Peacock, MBE. Illustrated with 38 colour images and diagrams.