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PhD Student

Course Start: March 2017

Supervisor: Iain Fletcher
Second Supervisor: Andrew Mitchell
Third Supervisor: Laura Charalambous

Working Thesis Title

Kinetic Variables Influencing Stability in Rugby Union

Abstract

Rugby Union is a sport involving repeated intermittent bouts of multi-directional running at varied velocities, jumping, directional change and inter-personal collisions. Stability is important in successful execution of these actions, and of rugby-specific skills such as passing, kicking and tackling. Increased stability may result in increased resistance to being tackled, which holds clear performance benefits. Stability, however, is not well understood in this population. Additionally, significant anthropometric and training differences exist within the playing population which may also affect stability. This work aims to identify appropriate measures of stability and data collection methods for use in rugby union, including the creating of a novel device for assessing the kinetic response to collisions. Further, it aims to identify trainable capacities linked with stability, which could improve players ability to resist collisions, potentially increasing performance.

Research Questions

• Are current practices for assessing stability in elite rugby union appropriate for use in research?
• What are the effects of anthropometry and level of play on stability measures?
• Can match-specific impact forces be delivered in a reliable, valid, and safe manner in a laboratory setting?
• Are force production measures correlated with static, dynamic and impact-response stability?

Want to take part in my research?

I would welcome contact from anyone willing to participate in my research. Subjects must either play rugby union at level 6 or higher, or be regularly training in a weightlifting/bodybuilding environment.

About Me

Having worked in professional and community rugby, I am interested in applying biomechanics solutions to performance problems. My research interests include stability as an aspect of human performance, applied biomechanics within coaching, and motor control and learning for skill acquisition. Away from academia I enjoy playing and watching rugby, football, cricket and NFL, running, cycling and have a keen interest in medieval and military history.

Publications

• Fletcher, I.M. & Long, C.S. 2013. The Effects of Kicking Leg Preference on Balance Ability in Elite Soccer Players. Journal of Athletic Enhancement, 2:3
• Long, C.S., Dagget, L., Fletcher, I.M., Mitchell, A.C.S., Charalambous, L. (2018). Effects of inter-positional anthropometric factors on balance and stability in elite male rugby union players. Journal of Sports Sciences – Proceedings of the 2018 British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences Conference.
• Fletcher, I.M., and Long C.S. (2013). The Effects of Kicking Leg Preference on Balance Ability in Elite Soccer Players; Journal of Athletic Enhancement 2(3)
• Long, C.S., Fletcher, I.M., Mitchell, A.C.S., Charalambous, L. (2019). Stabilisation of elite male rugby union players during a single leg landing task. BASES Biomechanics Interest Group Conference, Huddersfield, UK

Contact Information

Email: christopher.long@study.beds.ac.uk
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