Biomechanical study of the place kicks in rugby and its implications on the technical gesture
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Abstract
Introduction: The place kick is a decisive factor in high-performance rugby, accounting for between one-quarter and one-half of a team's total score. However, how biomechanical variables combine to determine kickers' effectiveness is not yet fully understood.
Objective: To analyze the influence of biomechanical variables of the place kick technique in rugby and their relationship with kicking effectiveness in high-performance players.
Materials and methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted with 30 players from the metropolitan rugby league. The technical gesture was recorded using high-speed cameras (60 fps) and analyzed with Kinovea software. Descriptive statistics, Spearman correlations, non-parametric tests (Mann-Whitney U, Kruskal-Wallis), and a logistic regression model with LASSO regularization were employed.
Results: A total of 66.7% of the kicks were successful. Height showed the strongest correlation with maximum ball velocity (ρ=0.556) and significant differences between successful and missed kicks (p=0.033). Approach speed was inversely correlated with the ball's launch angle (ρ=-0.472). The LASSO model identified height, the distance of the supporting foot, and a smaller ankle flexion angle at impact as predictors of success.
Conclusions: Height offers a biomechanical advantage, but success depends on technical coordination, especially ankle control and supporting foot distance. Training individualization based on playing position is recommended.
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