Table 2 Anthropometric, physiological characteristics and game skills of elite, sub-elite and non-rugby players by age category

 Body mass (kg)

77.5 ± 9.58

75.9 ± 11.6

68.5 ± 9.47

63.7 ± 9.09

61.2 ± 15.5

56.1 ± 7.83

 Height (m)

1.73 ± 0.06

1.72 ± 0.08

1.71 ± 0.06

1.67 ± 0.08

1.68 ± 0.08

1.66 ± 0.08

 Biceps (mm)

6.71 ± 3.62

6.60 ± 3.14

6.57 ± 2.27

5.78 ± 1.70

6.64 ± 1.14

7.00 ± 3.91

 Triceps (mm)

9.44 ± 2.95

9.83 ± 4.58

8.36 ± 2.69

9.85 ± 3.25

9.86 ± 1.94

10.8 ± 5.89

 Subscapular (mm)

12.8 ± 2.74

13.5 ± 4.64

11.2 ± 2.64

10.9 ± 2.86

11.3 ± 2.70

12.5 ± 6.21

 Suprailiac (mm)

8.93 ± 3.84

9.51 ± 3.93

9.52 ± 1.98

8.28 ± 2.97

8.90 ± 2.99

9.97 ± 5.46

 Abdomen (mm)

11.4 ± 2.85

13.3 ± 5.90

11.8 ± 2.41

11.4 ± 4.51

12.6 ± 2.86

12.4 ± 6.34

 Thigh (mm)

9.98 ± 2.48

11.0 ± 4.83

9.08 ± 2.00

10.7 ± 3.84

11.4 ± 2.29

11.7 ± 4.40

 Calf (mm)

5.49 ± 1.03

6.11 ± 2.07

6.17 ± 1.29

6.49 ± 1.55

7.72 ± 1.17

7.73 ± 3.48

 Sum of 7 skinfolds (mm)

64.7 ± 15.6

69.8 ± 24.4

62.7 ± 11.6

63.4 ± 17.1

68.4 ± 10.5

72.1 ± 33.1

 20 m speed (s)

3.25 ± 0.17

3.36 ± 0.23^α

3.47 ± 0.25

3.50 ± 0.22

3.55 ± 0.22^ƪ

3.63 ± 0.24

 40 m speed (s)

5.60 ± 0.29

5.84 ± 0.40^α

6.10 ± 0.27

6.14 ± 0.46

6.20 ± 0.60^ƪ

6.47 ± 0.47

 L-run (s)

6.21 ± 0.32

6.33 ± 0.33^α

6.43 ± 0.25

6.49 ± 0.34

6.62 ± 0.46^ƪ

6.67 ± 0.27

 Vertical jump (cm)

47.8 ± 3.81

42.5 ± 3.84^α

44.4 ± 3.85

38.3 ± 2.38

34.9 ± 2.82

32.6 ± 4.12

 2 kg medicine ball chest throw (m)

9.23 ± 1.26

8.31 ± 1.18

7.18 ± 1.16

6.97 ± 0.64

5.91 ± 0.86

5.83 ± 0.86

 60s Push Up (n)

49.7 ± 9.97

43.9 ± 12.0

38.2 ± 6.50

38.4 ± 10.1

35.6 ± 8.90

32.6 ± 7.06

 Wall sit leg strength (s)

146.0 ± 9.72

137.5 ± 21.7

132.6 ± 7.41

132.1 ± 6.61

123.3 ± 13.0

121.2 ± 23.0

 Yo-Yo IRT (m)

1505.9 ± 75.8

1443.6 ± 259.1^α

1053.3 ± 148.8

1307.3 ± 228.6

1030.7 ± 269.6

897.9 ± 171.7

 1RM back squat (kg)

98.4 ± 14.8

89.5 ± 16.3

–

–

–

–

 Relative back squat (kg/kg⁻¹)

1.27 ± 0.04

1.17 ± 0.06

–

–

–

–

 1RM bench press (kg)

90.5 ± 16.4

80.6 ± 15.9

–

–

–

–

 Relative bench press (kg/kg⁻¹)

1.16 ± 0.08

1.06 ± 0.06

–

–

–

–

 RHIE 1st sprint test (s)

10.2 ± 0.77

10.5 ± 0.81^α

–

–

–

–

 RHIE 2nd sprint test (s)

13.0 ± 1.02

13.2 ± 0.96^α

–

–

–

–

 RHIE 3rd sprint test (s)

16.1 ± 1.49

18.2 ± 1.64^α

–

–

–

–

 RHIE total sprint test (s)

39.3 ± 2.96

41.9 ± 2.97^α

–

–

–

–

 Decrement in RHIE (s)

5.92 ± 1.17

7.76 ± 1.31^α

–

–

–

–

 Tackling proficiency (%)

87.9 ± 8.44

84.8 ± 8.16

–

83.0 ± 8.87

68.3 ± 7.94

–

 Passing ability (au)

116.2 ± 2.13

113.0 ± 4.07

–

105.9 ± 4.86

104.7 ± 4.34

–

 Running-and-catching ability (au)

74.0 ± 1.07

73.5 ± 1.35

–

71.7 ± 2.06

68.3 ± 2.56

–