Table 1 A summary of selected physiological qualities and game-specific skills needed in rugby and the corresponding test(s)

1. Physical/motor or physiological qualities

 a. Muscular strength and power

  • Upper body muscular strength

3 repetition maximum bench press [19]; 2-kg medicine ball throw [58]

  • Upper body strength endurance

Bench press with repetitions [19]; flexed-arm hang test [36]

  • Lower body explosive power

Vertical jump test [19]; standing broad jump [44]; countermovement jump test [26]

  • Lower body muscular strength

3 repetition maximum full-body squat [19]

  • Abdominal strength

Sit-up test [59]

 b. Speed/acceleration

10- and 30-m running test [28]; 10- and 40-m sprint test [23]; 20-m sprint test [18]

 c. Agility

Illinois test [34]; t test [44]; change of direction speed [26]; zigzag run test [26, 36]

  • Reactive agility

Reactive agility test [27]

 d. Flexibility

Sit and reach test [5]; adapted sit and reach [36]

 e. Aerobic capacity

Yo-Yo intermittent recovery test [19]; 20-m multistage endurance run [59]; multistage fitness test [23]

  • Speed endurance

Repetitive sprint test [26]; repeated 20-m sprint test [23]; repeated 12-s sprint shuttle test [23]; speed endurance test (test of Halzadine and McNab) [36]

2. Rugby-specific skills

 a. Ground skills ability

Pick up and place test [34]

 b. Passing

4-m passing for accuracy test [59]; 7-m passing for distance ability test [28]

 c. Kicking

Kicking ability test [28]; place kicking test; air and ground kicking ability test [36]

 d. Catching

Catching ability test while moving [28]; catching and throwing over the crossbar [60, 61]

 e. Tackling

One-on-one tackling drill in a 10-m grid proficiency assessed using standardised technical criteria [23]

 f. Draw and pass

Single- and dual-task draw and pass assessment test [23]

 g. Pattern recall and prediction

Pattern recall and prediction test [23]