en فيزيولوژی ورزشی و شاخه‌های وابسته بدان Sport Physiology and its related branches مقاله مروری Review Article <div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family:times new roman;"><span style="font-size:12px;"><strong>Background. </strong>Rugby ::::::union:::::: is a team sport with a high amount of physical contact during match play. The physical performance and anthropometric characteristics required, differ based on the playing position.<br> <strong>Objectives. </strong>The objective of this systematic review was to relate anthropometric properties with physical performance parameters in Rugby ::::::union:::::: backs and forwards across different playing levels of Tier 1 nations.<br> <strong>Methods. </strong>Two </span></span><span style="font-family:times new roman;"><span style="font-size:12px;">electronic</span></span><span style="font-family:times new roman;"><span style="font-size:12px;">&nbsp;searches were performed in MEDLINE on the PubMed and on BISp (German Federal Sports Science Institute) databases from August 2016 to July 2017. All experimental study types in English and German were assessed for eligibility. Inclusion criteria were 15-a-side senior male backs and forwards, with anthropometric and/or physical performance data.<br> <strong>Results. </strong></span></span><span style="font-family:times new roman;"><span style="font-size:12px;">In n</span></span><span style="font-family:times new roman;"><span style="font-size:12px;"> = 7 studies out of 12 selected, the elite forwards were significantly taller than the elite backs (p < 0.05). This accounted not for lower playing levels. Across all levels the forwards were significantly heavier than the backs. Significantly lower body fat percentages for the backs demonstrated n = 5 out of 6 studies. Consequently, backs were more ectomorphic than forwards. Backs reached significantly lower sprint velocities over short distances and higher ones over longer distances (10 to 40 m).<br> <strong>Conclusion. </strong>Anthropometric parameters adapt to physical performance requested. In strength and endurance test situations heavier players may be underestimated postulating careful interpretation of those results to avoid misleading conclusion.</span></span></div> Anthropometric Properties, Body Composition, Physical Performance, Rugby ::::::union::::::, Somatotype. 1 13 http://aassjournal.com/browse.php?a_code=A-11-770-1&slc_lang=en&sid=1 Rahel Stoop rahel.stoop@supsi.ch 10031947532846007074 10031947532846007074 Yes Department of Business Economics, Health and Social Care, Rehabilitation Research Laboratory, University of Applied Sciences and Arts of Southern Switzerland, Landquart, Switzerland Erich Hohenauer erich.hohenauer@supsi.ch 10031947532846007075 10031947532846007075 No Department of Business Economics, Health and Social Care, Rehabilitation Research Laboratory, University of Applied Sciences and Arts of Southern Switzerland, Landquart, Switzerland. THIM University of Applied Sciences, Landquart, Switzerland. Department of Movement and Sport Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium Alfred ML Rucker alfred.rucker@gmx.net 10031947532846007076 10031947532846007076 No Department of Physiotherapy, Döpfer-Schulen, Regensburg, Germany Ron Clijsen ron.clijsen@supsi.ch 10031947532846007077 10031947532846007077 No Department of Business Economics, Health and Social Care, Rehabilitation Research Laboratory, University of Applied Sciences and Arts of Southern Switzerland, Landquart, Switzerland. THIM University of Applied Sciences, Landquart, Switzerland. Department of Movement and Sport Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium