Needs Analysis

Evaluation of Sport

Playing rugby requires great amounts of versatility in all positions.
In order to become a successful rugby player, speed, strength, agility and power must all be considered.

Specifically looking at the position of centre in rugby, the player will need to focus on attributes such as power to crash the ball into a defensive line, breaking tackles and trying to get past the gain line to increase field position and put the defenders on the back foot which in turn will make the next wave of attack easier for the attacking team.

Speed will also be a major factor. In open play, speed will be key in order for the attacker to exploit the open space, go round defenders or draw across other defenders which in turn creates space for the rest of the attacking team.

Agility is also a key component, as the player will be required to quickly and rapidly change direction to break through a disjointed defensive line.
They will also be required to good upper body strength when using a hand off to deflect any incoming tacklers.
Good upper body strength is also required for strong defensive tackling against any opponent running through the mid field.

Both aerobic and anaerobic components should be considered in a position such as centre. Due to the nature of their position on the pitch, centres will spend the majority of the game tackling other fast and powerful players such as themselves, therefore good stamina is vital in order to play at an elite level. However, they will still need an element of anearobic respiration for when they make a break through a defensive line and then a sprint to the opponents try line.

There is however a high incidence of ankle injuries from playing in this position and level. This is due to the force that the player exerts in the ankle joint when performing movements such as a side step. Over time, small amounts of stress can lead to overstretched tendons and ligaments in the ankle which could lead to instability and a greater risk of injury. This is true for the athlete who has had ongoing lateral ankle sprains.

Evaluation of Athlete

Athlete performed well on the basic strength and reactive tests, indicating that muscular strength is not an issue.
Agility drills were carried out effectively and with good technique and footwork.

However, the athlete struggled with transitions between activities. This could have been due to hypertrophy around the ankle joint due to the amount of injuries the athlete has suffered.
Furthermore, the athlete had poor balance on a number of drills. This could have occurred due to the amount of lateral ankle injuries sustained by the player, making his ankles unstable and less controlled when performing tasks that require strength and balance in the ankle joint.

The athlete is currently at the start of the off-season.

The current training status of the athlete is advanced. He demonstrates good technique when lifting and has experience with both free weights and resistance machines.
Primary resistance goals include hypertrophy.
Secondary goals include increase strength and core stability.