ABSTRACT

Rugby Union football is a team game involving skills of high and low intensity exercise. It is played between two opposing teams, each containing 15 players. The duration of play is two periods of 40 minutes. Broadly speaking, players are classified into two main playing units; forwards (n=8) and backs (n=7). The major function of the forwards is to secure and maintain possession of the ball during open (rucks and mauls) and set-pieces (scrummage and line-out) of play. The ball is then released to the backs whose objective is, by running and kicking, to ground the ball in the opposing in-goal area.