The purpose of this study was to find whether cross training could improve male adolescent rugby skills. Three major sports (soccer, basketball and wrestling) were selected to form the base of the cross training intervention program. Pre- and post-tests were performed with the entire rugby squad (24 participants) prior to and at the conclusion of the intervention program. After pre-testing, the participants were grouped into either the intervention (12) or the control group (12). Supervised cross training sessions were performed twice a week for 10 weeks as well as traditional rugby training twice a week for 10 weeks with the intervention group. The control group performed supervised conventional rugby training twice a week for 10 weeks. All participants (24) played in a rugby match once a week during the 10 week period of the study.

The purpose of this study was to find whether cross training could improve male adolescent rugby skills. Three major sports (soccer, basketball and wrestling) were selected to form the base of the cross training intervention program. Pre- and post-tests were performed with the entire rugby squad (24 participants) prior to and at the conclusion of the intervention program. After pre-testing, the participants were grouped into either the intervention (12) or the control group (12). Supervised cross training sessions were performed twice a week for 10 weeks as well as traditional rugby training twice a week for 10 weeks with the intervention group. The control group performed supervised conventional rugby training twice a week for 10 weeks. All participants (24) played in a rugby match once a week during the 10 week period of the study.

Thesis (M.A.(Biokinetics, Sport and Leisure Sciences))--University of Pretoria, 2007. / Summary in English and Afrikaans. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (MASpor)--University of Stellenbosch, 2007. / Bibliography. Also available via the Internet.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Sydney, 2009. / Title from title screen (viewed 10 Dec. 2009). Submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy to the Faculty of Education and Social Work, University of Sydney. Includes bibliographical references. Also available in print form.

Sport plays a significant role in societies worldwide and this has lead to an increase in the interest in sports fans’ behaviour. South Africans regard rugby as an important role player in their country, national culture - and also as a symbol of hope. This study aimed to enhance the knowledge of fans’ loyalty; and it also addressed the issue of a distinguished scale that can measure fans’ loyalty in the South African rugby context. Furthermore, this study aimed to increase the understanding regarding the determinants of rugby fans’ loyalty in South Africa. This replication study (a repeat of a previous study) investigated the application and relevance of Funk’s (2001:2) Sport Interest Inventory (SII) scale in the South African Super 14 rugby context. The Sport Interest Inventory (SII) scale measures twelve determinants of fan loyalty, namely: bonding with family, bonding with friends, drama, entertainment value, escape, excitement, player interest, role model, socialisation, team interest, vicarious achievement and sports interest. Identifying the determinants of fan loyalty can result in guidelines that can be used by sports marketers to improve their marketing campaigns. This will assist them in identifying related sports products that are essential to rugby fans. This will result in a more profitable sports’ team. The first step in this study was to synthesise a conceptual framework of the relationships between fan loyalty and the identified determinants of fan loyalty from the relevant literature. This was followed by a survey conducted at the Loftus Versveld Stadium, where Super 14 rugby fans of local Super 14 rugby teams were asked to participate in the study. The resulting data were analysed by using multiple regression analysis. The results of the multiple regression analysis identified sport interest, family bonding, escape and team interest as significant determinants of fan loyalty. The first implication for managers is to focus on sport interest as a significant determinant of fan loyalty. Sport interest indicates an interest in rugby as a sport in general. Therefore, management is advised to focus on developing programmes focused on increasing the knowledge and interest of fans in the Super 14 rugby tournament. Secondly, managers should start identifying and creating methods of focusing the attention of their marketing mix on the escape, family bonding and team interest determinants which may increase the attendance levels of Super 14 rugby games. / Dissertation (MCom)--University of Pretoria, 2011. / Marketing Management / MCom / Unrestricted

Magister Artium (Sport, Recreation and Exercise Science) - MA(SRES) / In the last few years, women’s rugby has experienced unprecedented growth globally and is the fastest growing sport among women and girls. Owing to increasing support and expo-sure, the sport has grown exponentially. However, women’s rugby programmes face signif-icant obstacles globally and locally. Women’s rugby is not well researched, and there is a lack of relevant literature on existing programmes, in particular, the perspectives and expe-riences of those involved in the programmes. Consequently, the purpose of the study was to offer insight into stakeholders and their lived experiences, thoughts and views on the management and implementation of development programmes for women’s rugby in the Western Cape Province.

Faculty of Health Sciences School of Physiotherapy 9605675x lindsayharris912@hotmail.com / Coaches and athletes are continually searching for ways to gain the "competitive edge" and improve athletic performance. Ergogenic substances and procedures are used routinely at almost all competitive levels. Creatine has become one of the most popular nutritional supplements among athletes in recent times. There is evidence suggesting that there are side effects of creatine supplementation. These include renal stress/failure, muscle injury and cramping. While creatine supplementation has the potential to be a safe and effective nutritional aid, these potential side effects may lead to long term problems in athletes. The aim of the study was to determine whether creatine supplementation is associated with injury defined as cramping and muscle strains. This was done using a questionnaire. A questionnaire was developed to consist of three sections determining the player’s training program, incidence of injury and use of creatine supplementation, if any. A pilot study was conducted to establish the validity and reliability of the questionnaire, estimate the time for data collection and identify any unanticipated problems. First team rugby players between the ages of 16 and 19 selected from six competitively recognized rugby schools within the Gauteng Province were included in the study. Consent was obtained from the headmasters of the relevant schools, coaches, and parents/guardians. Questionnaires were completed with the researcher present to explain any part of the questionnaire, which the players did not understand. Data were analyzed using the odds ratio from a logistic regression. The results reveal that no association exists between creatine supplementation and muscle injury in the form of cramping and muscle strains. The subjects were not aware of creatine supplementation recommendations and as a result it was being taken inconsistently and haphazardly.

Women's Rugby Union has been through a period of transition, from the introduction of professional contracts, to the expansion of international 15-a-side and sevens competitions. Despite increased popularity and growth, little published literature has investigated the specific epidemiology and risk factors for injuries in women's rugby union. This research was undertaken to investigate the injury risk to elite female players in both the 15-a-side and sevens games. Chapter 4 presents an epidemiological study of match injuries in elite club level women's rugby union. The overall match injury incidence rate was 43 per 1000 player hours with a mean injury severity of 36 days. This incident rate is low compared to that of the male game. This suggests that sex specific research is preferable to accurately guide future practices and interventions. Chapter 5 investigates the epidemiology if injuries across 2 seasons, in an International women's squad. With an injury incidence rate of 128 per 1000 player-hours the results illustrate a similar incidence rate of injuries to those observed in men's International competitions but a significantly higher incidence rate when compared to women's club level. The impact of injury and illness on a squad's player availability is an important consideration both for the players' own performance and for the squad's performance. Chapter 6 investigates how environmental factors (e.g. short preparation period, weekly training load and the magnitude of the change in training load) contributed to the number of injuries sustained by an International squad in an intense period of training, prior to a World Cup tournament. Similarly, in Chapter 7, injuries sustained by a World Cup sevens training squad were monitored, across an intense period of training and competition. The high injury incidence rate of 187 per 1000 player-hours highlights the difference in injury risk between women and men, with environmental factors likely to have been a contributory factor. A sport still in transition, continued sex specific research is crucial to ensure the introduction of appropriate injury prevention strategies in women's rugby Union.

Gender research throughout the last two decades has positioned sport as one of the central sites in the social production of masculinities. In particular, body contact, confrontational sports have been identified as central to the reproduction of a dominant but problematic form of masculinity, typically known as hegemonic masculinity. Whether it is through participation, opposition, resistance, complicity or media consumption, contact sports have been identified as constructing individual understandings of masculinity as well as contributing to the continued marginalization and subordination of other types of masculinities. Researchers working within schools have also linked rugby to similarly negative understandings of masculinities. The majority of these school based studies have been conducted in countries where contact sports are traditionally respected or in schools where rugby is tied to traditional and institutionalized understandings of masculinity. As yet little attention has been paid to boys who play rugby in countries or schools where rugby is not tied to traditional and institutionalized understandings of masculinity. As a New Zealand teacher working in an American school, in Taiwan, I set out to examine the rugby experiences of high school boys and to investigate the influence that rugby has on their understanding of masculinities. My study employed in-depth interviews with seven boys. Cognizant of the fact that the majority of gender based sport research has utilised Connell's theory of hegemonic masculinity, I adopted a 'Foucauldian method' to analyse the data. In doing so it was my intention to contribute to the field of sport and gender studies by utilising an alternative perspective instead of creating repetitive and redundant research which could lead to some problems being explored exhaustively. My main findings revealed a number of dominant discourses surrounding and constituting rugby within the American School of Taiwan. These included discourses of rugby as a masculine sport, as a foreign/western sport, and as a low status sport. Drawing upon these discourses I examined how the participants' gendered subjectivities were influenced by their rugby participation. The results revealed that within the general context of the school, rugby players were generally regarded as low status male athletes. However, within the western cultural group of students, rugby players were regarded as high status male athletes. This study contributes to gender and sport studies by suggesting that contact sports such as rugby need not always contribute to structured and hierarchical understandings of masculinities.