Lower-Body Strength and Power Benchmarks for Professional Rugby Union Players

Rugby union requires high levels of strength, power and size. These attributes distinguish between playing levels (Argus et al., 2012; Smart et al., 2013) and are associated with greater on-field performance (Cunningham et al., 2018). The assessment of strength and power qualities can therefore be seen as an important part of the training process for rugby union players. Comparing results to normative data can provide insights into a player’s current performance and training needs. Of particularly interest are the strength and power characteristics of senior elite players, as this information provides useful a reference point, particularly, for aspiring youth players. However, published strength and power data of modern professional players is limited. Another limitation of studies is the classification of players into positional groups (i.e. forwards and backs), which may not account for the differences between individual positions. The purpose of this study was to present the strength and power characteristics of elite rugby union players and provide position-specific normative benchmarks.