The subject of this thesis is the diffusion of the game of football, tracing its development back to the more prestigious English public schools, through the Universities of Cambridge and Oxford and into adult society. Early club formation and the gradual nationalisation of the game throughout Britain, with particular reference to England and Scotland, is studied in detail. Careful examination is made of the initial meetings of the Football Association leading to the bifurcation of the sport into soccer and rugby. From that point the study concentrates on the Association form, looking especially at the emergence of professional players. The global diffusion of Association Football from the United Kingdom is also analysed. The underlying task of this study, however, is to test Eric Dunning's theory of status rivalry between the English public schools of Eton and Rugby, a rivalry which was partially expressed through the promotion of their particular styles of football.

A dissertation submitted in partial fulfilment of requirements for the degree of Master of Arts at the University of Witwatersrand Johannesburg 2015 / Historically, rugby was regarded as a white sport, but things changed post 1994. This study explores how black male university rugby players negotiate their masculine and racial identities in playing a sport that is historically white. Seven rugby players were recruited within the university rugby team for individual interviews which lasted for an hour and more. The individual interviews, with the permission of the interviewees, were recorded and transcribed verbatim. The interviews were analyzed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) as a way of discovering and making meaning from the key themes that emerged in the data. The themes that emerged included: The pain associated with playing rugby; access to privilege in playing a sport historically associated with white people; navigating the identity of being black and man; references to soccer; aggression and expression of emotion associated with rugby; and transformation (racial integration). Social identity theory was employed in interpreting the themes that emerged in the study. In conclusion, it appears that rugby has had an influence on both the racial and masculine aspects of these black players’ sense of identity. It could be concluded that rugby does subscribe to the social gender roles of men, as the participants seemed to characterize some of the significant characteristics of masculinity. Based on the use of social identity theory, the participants had a desire to show the in-group (rugby players) in a positive light; this could be interpreted as their being protective of the group they belong to.

The England Rugby Football Union (RFU) Elite Player Performance Pathway (EPPP) is a player development system, structured into five playing squads (Under 18 [U18], Under 20 [U20], National academy [NA, age: 18-23 years], Saxons [Saxon, age: 18+ years] and Senior National Squad [SNS, age: 18+ years]), which attempts to develop players to play within the SNS. Despite its importance however, there is yet to be any scientific appraisal of its efficacy in successfully producing SNS players. Appraising the performances of 396 players enrolled on to the EPPP between 2008 and 2014, the purpose of this programme of research was therefore to investigate the nature of player transition and determine the key features associated with match performance between respective squads of the EPPP. To achieve this, the progression rates to subsequent squads, and the anthropometrical and position-specific technical performance data was quantified in conjunction with individual player progression within the EPPP system. Of the 396 players assessed within the thesis, 121 reached the SNS. Involvement in the EPPP was defined by high rates of de-selection during progression to subsequent squads and this was most apparent within the U18, U20 and NA squads. Analyses revealed the proportion of selected players for higher squads was 48.70%, 37%, 57.10% and 61% for U18-U20, U20-NA, NA-Saxon and Saxon-SNS squads, respectively. Within the SNS (n = 121), only 5.80% experienced a linear development (U18-U20-NA-Saxons-SNS) whereas all other players displayed variability with respect to squad pathway trajectories (NA-SNS 0.82%, Saxon-SNS: 50.4%, U20-Saxon-SNS 4.95%, NA-Saxon-SNS 12.39%, U18-U20-NA SNS:2.57%, U18-U20-Saxon-SNS 3.30%, U20-NA-Saxon-SNS 2.47%, side entries [selection from outside the EPPP system] 17.35%) within the EPPP. Thus, progression within the talent development (TDE) system was typified by variable patterns of sequential selection and de-selection processes throughout U18 to senior squads. The prerequisite level of technical performance indicators (TPI), related to generic and position-specific performance characteristics, and anthropometrical features (body mass and stature) specific to six predefined positional groups (front row [FR], second row [SR], Back row [BR], scrumhalf [SH], inside backs [IB], outside backs [OB]), were examined. The SNS revealed similar TPIs to the Saxon squad in all positional groups, only SNS FR were heavier (p ≤ 0.01; r = 0.18) and taller (p ≤ 0.001; r = 0.25) than Saxons FR. Likewise, the results demonstrate that anthropometrical characteristics consistently differentiated respective squads though, on occasion, there were aspects of TPIs that discriminated youth (U18) adult (U20, NA) and senior (Saxons, SNS) age international squads for the six positional groups within the EPPP. Used in isolation therefore, TPIs might offer benchmarks across the respective squads, however the extent of the observed differences between younger (U18 and U20) and older (NA, Saxons & SNS) squads suggests they could be used in conjunction with coach intuition to improve the objectivity of player selection to future squads. Where the performances of progressed and non-progressed players were considered results revealed that taller and heavier players, competing within a higher number of matches, for an increased period of time, were the most important variables influencing progression or deselection from the programme. Where the match TPIs were considered, there were stochastic differences between groups though it appeared as though selected players typically outperformed the non-selected group albeit by small margins and there were fewer differences between progressed and non-progressed in older age squads. Finally, in players selected to progress and those deselected, there was notable within-group variation in the technical demands. Such variation was typified by overlapping IQRs when groups were compared meaning selected players could perform more, or less, effectively than deselected players in any given match. Clearly, such an issue suggests that the technical performance during competition cannot be used to determine talent in such instances. Collectively, the results provide insight to the key requirements of the EPPP, which could be used to develop future coaching, scouting methods, player TDE systems by providing normative levels of attainment for aspiring players, both enrolled or not, within the elite player developmental system.

Thesis (PhD) -- AUT University, 2008. / Includes bibliographical references. Also held in print (17, 77, 46 leaves : ill. ; 30 cm.) in the Archive at the City Campus (T 617.10276333 QUA)

The aim of this thesis is to explore the influences and contributions of Māori to the establishment and development of the sport of rugby league in New Zealand. The overarching question of this thesis is how have Māori influenced and contributed to the development of rugby league in New Zealand? This thesis examines the international social history of rugby league from the origins of rugby league as a sport following the split in rugby union in England through to the contemporary status of Māori within the game as an elite sport in New Zealand and overseas. By examining Māori involvement in rugby league it is my intention to place Māori at the centre of the explanation for the establishment and development, past and present, of the sport in New Zealand, and also globally. While there have been some previous accounts of the affiliation between Māori and rugby league (Coffey and Wood, 2008; Greenwood, 2008; Falcous, 2007) this thesis compiles accounts from disparate sources in order to outline the history of Māori involvement and achievement in the development stages of rugby league. Key areas of focus for this thesis include the early Māori tours of 1908 and 1909, the development of the New Zealand Māori Rugby League as an independent entity separate from the New Zealand Rugby League and the contemporary influences of Māori on rugby league. This thesis will show that the early Māori tours were crucial to the development of Australian, New Zealand and, to an extent, British rugby league. It will also provide insight in to the inclusive nature of rugby league through the inclusion of Māori initiatives such as the development of a Māori Rugby League. The final section of this thesis will draw on the contemporary influence that Māori have on the sport through an examination of player migration and how Māori have emerged as a ‘donor culture’ providing high numbers of elite athletes to the world’s premier rugby league competitions. It can be argued that the mobility of Māori, in the form of touring teams and migrant players, has sustained the sport internationally while paradoxically, and simultaneously, depleting the game domestically. In this account Māori emerge, not as an appendix in a history of the game but rather as a crucial donor culture for the establishment and continued success of rugby league.

Rugby league is an international collision sport. Players complete physically demanding activities such as running, tackling and passing which often result in musculoskeletal injuries. Injury rates increase as playing level increases. From 1999 to 2007 there were 42,754 rugby league claims costing Accident Compensation Corporation $48,704,704. Moderate to severe injury claims (MSC) represented 14% of these claims but 88% of costs. New Zealand Maori recorded significantly more injury claims and total injury entitlement costs than all other ethnic groups. Soft tissue MSC injuries were common (47%) for females. Concussions accounted for 70% of total rugby league injuries to the head while the knee represented 23% of total injury claims and 20% of injury costs. Neck and spine injuries accounted for 6% of total MSC injury claims but 16% of total MSC costs. In video analysis of 80 games at international, national and youth competition levels, 50% of tackles involved tacklers from behind the visual fields of the ball carrier, either two or three tacklers, and contact with the mid-torso or hip-thigh region. From the prospective injury analysis of one professional team over two consecutive years, tackle-related injuries occurred more to the ball carrier when tackled at shoulder or mid-torso height, in their blind vision, with two or more tacklers, and in the fourth quarter of matches. Tackle-related injury type and site varied by positional group. Hit-up forwards and outside backs recorded more tackle-related injuries as the ball carrier than the tackler. In the prospective study of 63 amateur rugby league players, 80% of players injured as a result of match or training activities saw a health professional as part of their rehabilitation. Team coaches asked players to return to rugby league activities in 28% of cases for training participation and 29% of cases for match participation. In the cross sectional study assessing 95 rugby league support personnel's first aid, injury prevention and concussion knowledge, only 2% achieved an 80% pass mark, 39% incorrectly stated loss of consciousness was required for concussion and only 24% of coaches had a rugby league coaching qualification. This PhD research has contributed knowledge regarding costs and characteristics of injuries to amateur rugby league participants analysed by ethnicity, gender, injury site and injury type. Changes in anthropometric characteristics and speed in regards to incidence of injury, characteristics of tackles in match situations and common tackling positions and positional groups where injuries occur, player perspectives on why they return from injury to participation in rugby league, and the lack of first aid knowledge for rugby league personnel, have all been described.

Thesis (MA)--University of Stellenbosch, 2006. / Bibliography. Also available via the Internet.

Thesis (MHSc--Health Science) -- Auckland University of Technology, 2004. / Also held in print (146 leaves, 30 cm.) in Akoranga Theses Collection (T 613.2 ZIN)

Thesis (MHSc--Health Science) -- AUT University, 2008. / Includes bibliographical references. Also held in print (123 leaves ; 30 cm.) in the Archive at the City Campus (T 613.711 MAR)

Thesis (M. in Technology: Chiropractic)--Technikon Witwatersrand, 2004. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 72-74). Also available online (PDF file) by a subscription to the set or by purchasing the individual file.