Introduction: Several studies have described the somatotype and anthropometric characteristics in female team sports like soccer, basketball, handball, volleyball, and also in female individual sports such as tennis and gymnastics. However, there is very little information on the morphometric characteristics of female rugby players. There are only two studies describing anthropometric data of a total of 51 females players form Australia and France (Gabbett, 2007; Bru et al., 2011). The objective of this study is to analyze the anthropometric characteristics of 55 female players from the second division of the national league rugby. Methods: Anthropometric measurements were performed according to standardized techniques adopted by the International Society for the Advancement of Kinanthropometry (ISAK). Height, weight, body mass index, and sum of 6 skinfold were measured. Three different methods were used to calculate the percentage of body fat (%BF): Faulkner (only 4 skinfolds of the upper extremity and trunk), Reilly et al. (skinfolds of the thighs, legs, triceps and abdomen) and Yuhasz (sum of 6 skinfolds). The somatotype was assessed using the equations of Carter and Heath. Results: The characeristics of the players were: body mass 66.0±10.0 kg; height 163.3±7.1 cm; body fat 14.5±4.2% (Yuhasz), 16.1±4.2% (Faulkner), 17.3±4.0% (Reilly) and muscle mass 54.6±6.2 kg. The sum of skinfolds was: /6 folds, 121.7±44.4 mm; /4 (Reilly), 83.2±27.0 mm. The average somatotype was: Endomorphy 4.47±1.74; Mesomorphy 2.65±0.95; Ectomorphy 1.74±0.1. There were significant differences (p<0.05) in some anthropometric parameters (body mass and skinfold thickness) between players of different positions: the `forwards` were heavier and had higher skinfold thickness than the `backwards`. Discussion: The results of this study show that female players from the Spanish 2nd League are away from the internationally recommended body composition for female athletes. These sample of rugby league players have a higher body mass and skinfold thickness greater than previously published in other female team sports. These results show the need to analyze and planify interventions on anthropometric parameters to allow players from the second division league rugby tolerate more effectively the physiological demands of competition.
© Copyright 2016 21st Annual Congress of the European College of Sport Science (ECSS), Vienna, 6. -9. July 2016. Julkaistu Tekijä University of Vienna. Kaikki oikeudet pidätetään. / Kääntänyt https://www.DeepL.com/Translator