AUTHOR=Dimundo Francesco , Cole Matthew , Blagrove Richard C. , McAuley Alexander B. T. , Till Kevin , Kelly Adam L. 

TITLE=Talent Identification in an English Premiership Rugby Union Academy: Multidisciplinary Characteristics of Selected and Non-selected Male Under-15 Players

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Sports and Active Living

VOLUME=3

YEAR=2021

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/sports-and-active-living/articles/10.3389/fspor.2021.688143

DOI=10.3389/fspor.2021.688143

ISSN=2624-9367

ABSTRACT=<p>Entry into an academy can be a defining moment for a promising young player. The aim of this study was to explore the multidimensional characteristics that differentiated selected and non-selected male under-15 rugby union players at an English Premiership academy. Seventy-four players (mean age 14.6 ± 0.3 years: selected <italic>n</italic> = 29; non-selected <italic>n</italic> = 45) were measured across nine characteristics from four overarching factors: (a) anthropometric (<italic>n</italic> = 2), (b) physiological (<italic>n</italic> = 5), (c) cognitive (<italic>n</italic> = 1), and (d) birth quartile. An ANOVA compared differences between groups (selected vs. non-selected), whilst a Welch's <italic>t</italic>-test and Cohen's <italic>d</italic> were used for further comparisons. A multivariate logistic regression was also used to predict selection. Results showed significant differences between selected and non-selected players for anthropometric (<italic>P</italic> = 0.021) and physiological factors (<italic>P</italic> &lt; 0.001). Moreover, relatively older players were overrepresented with 65% born in the first half of the year, whereas no significant differences were apparent for the cognitive test. More specifically, selected players possessed greater body mass (<italic>P</italic> = 0.022, <italic>d</italic> = 0.5) and handgrip strength (<italic>P</italic> = 0.020, <italic>d</italic> = 0.5) compared to non-selected players, whilst multivariate analysis showed the 20 m sprint explained 25.4% of the variance (<italic>P</italic> = 0.001). Overall, it appears selection into an English Premiership rugby union academy may be due to enhanced physical attributes rather than cognitive abilities.</p>