Table of Contents

Introduction Chapter 1. Physical preparation for rugby Chapter 2. Strength and power training for rugby Chapter 3. Periodization and planning of training for rugby Chapter 4. Monitoring the match and training demands of rugby Chapter 5. Monitoring fatigue and recovery in rugby players Chapter 6. Match day strategies to enhance the physical and technical performance of rugby players Chapter 7. Recovery strategies for rugby Chapter 8. Nutrition for rugby Chapter 9. Rugby and the environment Chapter 10. Practical considerations for team travel, the lifestyle of elite athletes, travel fatigue and coping with jet lag Chapter 11. Psychological preparation for the rugby player Chapter 12. Notational analysis for rugby football Chapter 13. Biomechanics of rugby Chapter 14. Injury epidemiology in rugby Chapter 15. Talent identification, development, and the young rugby player

About the Author

Craig Twist is Reader in Applied Exercise Physiology at the University of Chester, UK. His primary research interests revolve around the applied physiology of rugby league and recovery after fatiguing exercise. Craig is an accredited Sport and Exercise Scientist with the British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences, and also serves as a consultant to the Rugby Football League and several elite sports teams.


Paul Worsfold is Head of Biomechanics at the English Institue of Sport and a senior lecturer in Sports Biomechanics and Performance Analysis at the University of Chester, UK. Paul is a consultant for the Rugby Football Union where he is leading research projects assessing the playing demands of the English Premiership and investigating talent development within the English national squad system.