Assessing Novices’ Game Performance in Rugby Union: The Rugby Attack Assessment Instrument (RAAI)

Abstract

The application of Teaching Games for Understanding (TGfU) and Game Centered Approaches (GCA) in team sports initiation generated the need for assessing game performance. In this paper we introduce the Rugby Attack Assessment Instrument (RAAI), a tool to assess the actions of players in attack and their incidence in the generated game situations in rugby. The RAAI focuses the attention on the ball carrier during a 5 vs. 5 situation. The actions of players in possession of the ball are described and codified. A weight is allocated to each simple and combined action in relation to its tactical value. Thus, the codified actions provide a weighted Index of Performance, the team score of the RAAI. Validity and reliability were tested in two different studies. Results suggest that the RAAI is valid and reliable to assess ball carrier’s actions and their influence in attacking game situations of novice rugby union players