TITLE:
Patterns of Interpersonal Coordination in Rugby Union: Analysis of Collective Behaviours in a Match Situation
AUTHORS:
Marta Rodrigues, Pedro Passos
KEYWORDS:
Interpersonal Coordination; Running Correlations; Rugby Union
JOURNAL NAME:
Advances in Physical Education,
Vol.3 No.4,
November
25,
2013
ABSTRACT: This study aims to analyze how intra-team coordination patterns in the team sport of rugby union influenced successful performance. We hypothesized that high interpersonal coordination patterns are a crucial issue to cross (or not) the gain line. Video record and digitizing procedures were used as a method to collect data for further analysis of interpersonal coordination patterns that took place during the formation of subunits of attack. The results showed the existence of three types of outputs, which differ depending on the correlations between attackers and defenders. Therefore, for high and positive values of interpersonal coordination (r values between 0.8