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- Relationships between psychological skills and European U19 rugby union tournament outcomes and performance indicatorsPublication . Fernandes, Helder Miguel; Batista, Marco; Vaz, LuisThe purpose of this study was to investigate and identify the psychological skills and strategies related to tournament outcomes and performance indicators in a European under-19 Rugby Union Championship. The sample included a total of 183 elite male U19 rugby players, aged between 17 and 19 years (M= 18.67, SD= 0.51), who competed at the U19 European Championship 2014. These players represented seven national teams ranked by the teams' final classification in the championship, as follows: Georgia (1st place, n= 34), Portugal (2nd place, n= 20), Spain (3rd place, n= 26), Russia (4th place, n= 27), Netherlands (5th place, n= 17), Belgium (6th place, n= 14), and Romania (7th place, n= 45). Athletes responded to translated and adapted versions of the questionnaire Test of Performance Strategies (TOPS; Thomas et al., 1999) an hour before the first match of the tournament. Summary matches' statistics and the final ranking position (inverted) of the national teams were retrieved from an official website. Correlation results showed that a more frequent use of self-talk, emotional control and goal-setting strategies was positively related to points, tries and conversions scored, whereas imagery levels were positively associated to penalties scored. On the other hand, higher levels of negative thinking were positively correlated to points, tries and penalties conceded, whereas higher activation levels were negatively related to points, tries and conversions conceded. The teams' final ranking was significantly predicted by goal-setting (β= 0.21), imagery (β= 0.17), activation (β= 0.32) and negative thinking (β= −0.16) levels (R2= 0.11, p= 0.005).
- Using Anthropometric Data and Physical Fitness Scores to Predict Selection in a National U19 Rugby Union TeamPublication . Vaz, Luis; Kraak, Wilbur; Batista, Marco; Honório, Samuel; Fernandes, Helder MiguelThe purpose of this study was to compare measures of anthropometry characteristics and physical fitness performance between rugby union players (17.9 ± 0.5 years old) recruited (n = 39) and non-recruited (n = 145) to the Portuguese under-19 (U19) national team, controlling for their playing position (forwards or backs). Standardized anthropometric, physical, and performance assessment tests included players’ body mass and height, push up and pull-up test, squat test, sit- and-reach test, 20 m shuttle run test, flexed arm hang test, Sargent test, handgrip strength test, Illinois agility test, and 20-m and 50-m sprint test. Results showed that recruited forwards players had better agility scores (p = 0.02, ES = −0.55) than the non-recruited forwards, whereas recruited backs players had higher right (p < 0.01, ES = 0.84) and left (p = 0.01, ES = 0.74) handgrip strength scores than their counterparts. Logistic regression showed that better agility (for the forwards) and right handgrip strength scores (for the backs) were the only variables significantly associated with an increased likelihood of being recruited to the national team. In sum, these findings suggest that certain well- developed physical qualities, namely, agility for the forwards players and upper-body strength for the back players, partially explain the selection of U19 rugby players to their national team.
- Anxiety levels in under 18 and under 20 elite rugby players of national teams in different field positionsPublication . Batista, Marco; Catarino, José; Fernandez, Helder; Vaz, Luis; Serrano, João; Honório, SamuelThe objective of this study was to encourage Rugby players to promote abilities in this sport, therefore we have evaluated the somatic anxiety, cognitive anxiety and self-confidence values of U18 and U20 rugby athletes of the Portuguese Nationals Rugby Teams, who participated respectively in the U18 Elite European Championship and in the U20 Trophy World Rugby, comparing forwards and defenders. For data collection, we used the CSAI-2 which assesses cognitive anxiety, somatic anxiety and self-confidence. The results showed more favourable average parameters for the group of athletes U20. However, there were only significant differences favourable to the U20 team in the domain of self-confidence, in a general level between teams and in the forward positions.
- Analysis of the frequency and effectiveness of the technical actions used in the 2021 European Judo Championship according to the elapsed time of combatPublication . Gaspar, Bruno; Batista, Marco; Sombra, Katia; Mesquita, Helena; Paulo, Rui; Duarte-Mendes, Pedro; Ramalho, André; Rocha, João; Vaz, Luis; Louro, Hugo gonçalo DuarteThe interpretation of temporal parameters during competitive practice is always interesting and pertinent, and specifically in judo, which requires high preparation from athletes to be able to control or throw the opponent in a short space of time. The interest of this study perspective, which allows us to interpret competitive action in more detail, is also important to reflect that according to the legal adaptations dictated by the rules of a modality, it makes its study necessary. The objective was to analyse the frequency and effectiveness of technical actions used in the 2021 European Judo Championship depending on the elapsed time of combat. The study sample focused on 400 combats of the European Judo Championship 2021, with 6731 technical actions in combat being categorized. We used an observation system created for this purpose, according to the classification system proposed by Kodokan. Cross-frequency tables were produced, where the association degree between variables was analysed using the Chi Square test, where the significance level was set at p ≤ .05. We complemented the association analysis between variables by calculating the adjusted standardized residuals. The number of technical actions tends to decrease over the 1st to 4th minute of combat and consequently also towards the golden score time. The relative percentage of technical actions scored from the 1st to the 4th minute of combat tends to increase, with the Ippon advantage assuming an increasing percentage trend and the Waza-ari advantage a decreasing trend, maintaining this trend in golden score.
- Physical performance tests and anthropometric data to predict selection in U19 rugby union playersPublication . Vaz, Luis; Batista, Marco; Honório, Samuel; Fernandes, Helder MiguelAnthropometric and performance data were collected from 184 rugby players (mean age=17.9±0.5 years, body mass=84.2±13.5 kg; height =1.79±0.07 m) to explore: (i) the correlation among indicators; and (ii) compare profiles from the selected (n =39) and non-selected (n =145) players to represent the Portuguese under-19 national team. Anthropometry characteristics included body height and body mass. Physical performance variables included push up and pull-up test, squat, Sargent test, flexed arm hang test, sit-and- reach test, 20 m shuttle run test, handgrip strength test, 20-m and 50-m sprint and Illinois agility test. The results showed that the selected rugby athletes reported significantly higher levels of right (t = 2.77, p = 0.01, ES= -0.5 [-0.8 to -0.2]) and left handgrip strength scores (t = 2.81, p = 0.01, ES = -0.5 [-0.8 to -0.2]), and significantly better (i.e. lower) levels of agility scores (t = -2.28, p = 0.02, ES = 0.4 [0.1 to 0.7]) than the non- selected rugby athletes. Accordingly, prospective players need to be constantly monitored and evaluated across age-categories in order to allow them to achieve the anthropometrical and fitness requirements needed to play at the international level.