DOI: 10.36347/sjams.2015.v03i01.083

Pages: 425-430

Success in rugby league football seems heavily reliant on players possessing adequate position specific, physical fitness qualities such as strength, power, speed, agility, endurance, and individual skills. The purpose of this study was to compare specific fitness components of strength, speed and power of Indian rugby league players & to determine if there were position specific fitness differences within the players. A experimental study with total of 40 (26 males & 14 females) rugby union team players, average body mass of the players (26.10+ 3.77), average height (168.22+ 7.88 cms), competing at a national level, underwent measurements of body mass, muscular power (vertical jump), speed (10m & 40m sprint), muscle strength of upper limb (bench press) and lower limb (squat). Forwards were significantly (p= 0.002) heavier than backs. The backs were significantly faster (p=0.008) than forwards over 10m sprint. Back had significantly (p=0.00) greater power than forwards. When data was analysed according to position of players, it was found that the no significant differences were found between forwards and backs over 40m sprint (p=0.21), upper limb strength (p=0.06) and lower limb strength (p=0.06). We hereby conclude from our study that the speed in back players for a 10m sprint, power during vertical jump is significantly more than that of the forward players.