| It is widely acknowledged that the average body | | | | mass is a natural and not unintended by-product of |
| weight of rugby players has increased considerably | | | | such training.Another distinctive feature of Martin |
| over recent years. Less recognised is the extent to | | | | Harland's rugby training regimen is his requirement |
| which modern defensive alignments and strategies | | | | that backs undertake the same rigorous basic |
| have transformed rugby matches into contests of | | | | strength routines as forwards. Many strength and |
| attrition where bigger and stronger teams tend to | | | | conditioning coaches reserve the heavy "grunt" work |
| wear down their smaller and physically weaker | | | | for forwards, or even restrict it to the tight |
| opponents over the course of a game. Perhaps the | | | | five.Exposing backs to very serious weight training |
| most notable change has been the increased | | | | has produced a quite extraordinary outcome at |
| importance of physical dominance in the | | | | Sydney University, as evidenced by comparing the |
| backline.Responding to this, Sydney University's rugby | | | | body weights of their forwards and backs with those |
| club has been able to demonstrate that with the right | | | | of the Wallabies and the four Australian Super 14 |
| combination of coach and infrastructure, it is possible | | | | franchises, the ACT Brumbies, NSW Waratahs, |
| to fast track the physical development of players | | | | Queensland Reds and Western Force.Not surprisingly, |
| outside a professional playing environment. In fact | | | | the University's young forwards are outweighed by |
| within a couple of seasons these players are able to | | | | each of the five professional squads, 105.3 kilograms |
| achieve a body mass comparable to that of | | | | compared to 109.1 to 111.1 kilograms. However, in the |
| seasoned professionals together with a solid | | | | backs the situation is reversed with the University |
| foundation of basic strength.In late May, Sydney | | | | players averaging 95.1 kilograms as opposed to 90.9 |
| University announced its team for the first round of | | | | to 92.9 kilograms. Thus the Sydney University backs |
| the Tooheys New Cup, the premier competition in | | | | outweigh Australia's national and provincial squads by |
| Sydney club rugby. All of the fifteen players are past | | | | between 2.2 and 4.2 kilograms per man.If we look at |
| or current students who had been developed | | | | the difference in body weight between backs and |
| through the Club's Colts and lower grade teams. None | | | | forwards it can be seen that for Sydney University it |
| of them are paid to play for the Club, although the | | | | averages 10.2 kilograms, against 16.2 to 19.4 kilograms |
| eleven who are still students receive modest | | | | for Australia's professional squads, a very substantial |
| scholarship assistance. Only three of the players are | | | | difference.The Sydney University experiment seems |
| on professional contracts.It is instructive to compare | | | | to be providing clear evidence that the body weight |
| their body weight and age profiles with those of | | | | of rugby backs can be dramatically increased through |
| squads from four major rugby countries, those of | | | | serious weight training, but the question arises as to |
| Australia, England, New Zealand and South Africa. The | | | | whether this has benefits in terms of playing |
| average weight of the international teams varies | | | | performance.One answer is that the other |
| from 101.2 to 102.9 kilograms while their average age | | | | strength-oriented football code, American football, |
| is from 25.5 to 27.2 years. Comparative figures for | | | | has traditionally used training methods similar to those |
| the Sydney University team are 100.5 kilograms and | | | | of Martin Harland. All players, whether linemen or |
| 22.5 years.It can be seen that the part-time, unpaid | | | | running backs, are required to do heavy gym work. |
| Sydney University players, though three to five | | | | No one would seriously suggest that their quick |
| years younger, weigh only a couple of kilograms less | | | | players have inferior dynamic abilities to rugby |
| than the world's best players. This is quite | | | | players.Another justification for building heavier backs |
| extraordinary as normally a much greater weight | | | | with superior leg drive lies in the already mentioned |
| disparity would be expected.For the past three years | | | | importance of physical dominance in the rugby |
| Sydney University Football Club has been operating | | | | backline. With the modern emphasis on structure and |
| an Elite Development Squad (EDS) program for its | | | | coordination in defensive alignments, bigger and |
| top grade and colts players. Utilising one of the best | | | | stronger backs are better able to continually repel |
| equipped gymnasiums in Australian rugby, players | | | | opposition attacks and also over the course of a |
| train for eleven months of the year and undertake | | | | game are likely to create physical and mental fatigue |
| four weights sessions per week off-season and a | | | | in their counterparts.Having achieved a strong |
| lesser number while playing.The program's strength | | | | foundation of basic strength and greater body mass, |
| and conditioning components have been devised and | | | | Martin Harland is then able to focus on speed and |
| administered by Martin Harland, a sports scientist who | | | | explosiveness in his players. It is clear that the |
| has previously worked with professional rugby | | | | Sydney University approach yields results on the |
| league, Australian football and basketball teams. His | | | | playing field. 2005 was the Club's most successful |
| programs for rugby players place a high degree of | | | | year, winning the Sydney Club Championship, the First |
| emphasis on basic strength development and | | | | Grade Premiership and four lower grade |
| rugby-specific fitness. A distinguishing feature of his | | | | Premierships.Even more importantly, players who |
| approach is a concentration on heavy lower body | | | | graduate from such a program are much better |
| work through exercises such as squats, deadlifts and | | | | equipped to withstand the rigours of modern |
| cleans. In addition, both backs and forwards make | | | | rugby.Bruce Ross is CEO of MyoQuip, manufacturers |
| intensive use of the MyoQuip ScrumTruk, a | | | | of variable-resistance strength machines including the |
| rugby-specific apparatus that targets the large mass | | | | HipneeFlex and HipneeThrust, and the rugby-specific |
| leg extensor muscles, specifically the gluteal and | | | | ScrumTruk and JumpTruk. MyoQuip exports |
| quadriceps groups. Hypertrophy or increased muscle | | | | worldwide from Australia. |