Former gymnast and sport passionate, Anthony joined the French Rugby Federation in 2012 for a physical trainer position.""I had the opportunity to carry out a university course in staps, oriented towards physical preparation.I am in charge of the physical preparation of the French women's French rugby team with which I was able to live different major competitions, namely: 5 world championships, 7 European championships, 2 World Cups and a Olympiad(Jo de Rio in 2016, editor's note.)) ”.He also has a strong attachment to the performance support cell, since obtaining a thesis in sport physiology in 2016, on the analysis of performance in rugby at 7.Today, the interest of the physical trainer turns to ""analyzing the requirements of the task to improve physical preparation formats"".In this sense, what attracts his attention with a view to improving the individual performance of rugby players are the methodologies of ""manipulation of GPS data, high intensity training as well as environmental stress"", explains Anthony.
""The players can travel up to 20kms in a weekend, to swallow this, you have to be ready, impossible to escape or hide on the field.""
Before getting to the heart of the matter on physical preparation, it is good to recall the difference in Rugby to XV and rugby at 7.Because yes, these are two very different disciplines.Sharing the same field with half as many players, makes rugby at 7 much more demanding than the XV.Relativized to playing time, everything is exacerbated. Dans un premier temps sur le plan physique : « il y a plus de distance parcourue et surtout, il y a plus de courses à haute (>Vitesse Maximale Aérobie)) et très haute intensité (>85% Vmax)) couplées à un nombre d’accélérations aussi plus important»».On the technical level: ""There are more passes, more tackles, more rucks, which makes the 7 much more demanding than the XV"", he underlines.
La différence vient aussi du format, car au Sevens il faut enchaîner les matchs (six par tournois)) avec parfois deux tournois en deux semaines (soit 12 matchs)). Ce sport a un niveau d'exigence très haut voire « extrême»». Il poursuit en expliquant que « les joueuses et joueurs peuvent parcourir jusqu’à 20kms en un week-end (lorsque l’on cumule les échauffements et les matchs)), dont 2 à 3kms supérieurs à leur VMA et jusqu’à 200m en allure de sprints (>85% Vmax))».
20
""The season is punctuated by the chain of tournaments on the world circuit, period of preparation for the CNR and internship outside""
A 7 -year rugby season takes place in the same way ""the World World Series circuit (8 tournaments among girls and 10 among boys)), the European championship has its place at the end of the season.The only peculiarity of this Olympic season for girls and boys of 7, will be the presence of the world TQO (because we could not qualify the previous season)), the last chance to finish the season at the Tokyo Olympic Games at the end of July,In early August 2020.""Knowing that the season is punctuated by"" the chain of tournaments and by periods of preparation for the CNR but also in internship outside;The latter are often set up to seek milder weather conditions than those offered by Paris in the middle of winter, so as to better prepare for the conditions of the competition.»»
What about the preparation and the workload during the pre-season?
The training load carried out in pre-season, aims to lay the basics of the aerobic base essential to support future high and very intensity workloads, which make the essence of rugby at 7.These training charges become substantial, because it is the privileged moment to (re)) work on basic muscle strengthening, (re)) take stock of postures, make a focus on all the preventive work of the prophylaxis type (preventioninjuries)) while thinking a lot of time on the ground.
Ensuite, il démontre que les séances de préparation physique courues, intégrées au rugby, ont pour objectif « de parcourir un maximum de distance à haute intensité (> à la vitesse maximale aérobie (VMA)), de façon individualisée)) ”. Il souligne également l’intérêt d'une bonne préparation physique générale (souvent appelé PPG)) car « elle ne réduit pas le risque de blessure lié aux collisions, qui prennent une place prépondérante en rugby à XV, autant que chez nous en rugby à 7»».But to reduce the risk of injury in the season, to train harder than in match seems to be the right method.
""Le travail collectif du staff (entraîneurs, kiné, préparateurs physiques)) et les échanges nombreux avec les joueuses, nous permettent d’appréhender les grandes compétitions""
As you can see during rugby tournaments at 7, a team can be in good shape but can also have diet reductions.Anthony explains how he and his colleagues determine the peaks of form during a season and if he was collective or individual: ""A collective form peak ... It is a real headache!We are in a collective performance production, which must be generated by different individuals. C’est très difficile à mesurer»».It also highlights collective work, as well as the numerous exchanges between the staff (physical trainer, physiotherapy)) and the players who allow you to apprehend major competitions, in good states of form to achieve great things collectively.""We think this was the case for example during the last World Cup 7 in San Francisco 2018 (or the women's team was crowned vice-world champion, editor's note.)).Rugby sharpening strategies at 7 help us in the search for these famous shape peaks, to perform as best as possible on D -Day.»» Il conclut en disant que durant une saison, les filles passent par différent paliers, c'est-à-dire que « les rythmes de chacune peuvent varier en fonction de leur participation ou non aux tournois du circuit mondial et aussi à cause de blessure.A continuous evaluation is necessary to support girls in their performance search.»».During the various stages of the World Sevens Series, the girls are faced with large time offices.So that it is easier to digest things have been implemented.""For a long time we have tried to take care of a maximum of elements so that girls can manage and understand in the best way, the management of time shifts: pre-decline at D-3, D-2 and J-1, management of sleep phases during transfer, use of blue light and exposure to daylight as quickly as possible.»» Hors, ils se sont rendu compte qu’il était souvent difficile d’organiser tout ça et que parfois, le stress occasionné portait plus de préjudices que d’avantages.Thus, they always advise girls on good practices.However, their personal experience takes precedence over the choices made.
Les déplacements en compétition s’effectuent le plus souvent possible sur la base « d’un jour égale une heure»» : par exemple, sur un décalage horaire de 9h, la fédération s’organise pour nous faire partir au moins 9 jours à l’avance ; ceci représente un véritable coût budgétaire, mais reste l’élément le plus important pour gérer les décalages horaires.To this is added the content management strategies and training load, the first 2 to 4 days on site, to avoid any hiccups which would jeopardize the participation of a player in the following tournament.
En conclusion, nous pouvons dire que le rugby à 7 est un sport que l'on peut qualifier d’extrême mais également très complet en raison de la répétition des tâches (entre 115 à 170 par match)) et au temps de jeu effectif dans une rencontre : 8 à 9 minutes sur un match de 14 minutes (environ 60 % du temps global contre 50 % en rugby à XV)).
