Tactical and technical indicators in wheelchair rugby: a preliminary analysis of elite Brazilian teams

Moisés Deicymar Candido  Alves; Leonardo dos Santos Oliveira; Ana Lidia Pereira da Silva Rodrigues; Gilmário Ricarte  Batista; Elaine Cappellazzo  Souto

doi:10.1590/SciELOPreprints.16744

##article.authors##

Moisés Deicymar Candido Alves Federal University of Paraíba https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8918-6045
- Conceptualization
- Methodology
- Formal Analysis
- Investigation
- Data Curation
- Writing – Original Draft Preparation
Leonardo dos Santos Oliveira Federal University of Paraíba https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7485-105X
- Methodology
- Formal Analysis
- Data Curation
- Writing – Original Draft Preparation
- Writing – Review & Editing
- Visualization
Ana Lidia Pereira da Silva Rodrigues Federal University of Paraíba https://orcid.org/0009-0008-6615-1852
- Writing – Original Draft Preparation
- Visualization
- Writing – Review & Editing
Gilmário Ricarte Batista Federal University of Paraíba https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3294-8803
- Writing – Review & Editing
- Supervision
Elaine Cappellazzo Souto Federal University of Paraíba https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6692-5311
- Conceptualization
- Data Curation
- Visualization
- Supervision
- Writing – Review & Editing
- Project Administration

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.1590/SciELOPreprints.16744

Keywords:

Team sports , Para-athletes , Sports for persons with disabilities, Match analysis, Observational method

Abstract

Although ample evidence demonstrates that tactical and technical indicators play a pivotal role in match analysis, a consensus on the most effective predictors of success in wheelchair rugby (WR) remains elusive. Therefore, the aim of this study is to analyze potential tactical-technical indicators of points scored and match outcomes in WR among elite Brazilian teams. Notational analysis was conducted on the semifinals and finals matches of the “II Copa dos Campeões de Rugby em Cadeira de Rodas”, using the Lince 1.4 software. Tactical-technical performance indicators were evaluated by decision-making quality and overall game efficiencies and frequencies. Fisher's exact test evaluated the association between decision-making quality and score outcomes, while an independent t-test compared performance differences between winning and losing teams. Appropriate decision-making for pass, reception, and throw-in was statistically associated with a successful try outcome (P<0.05). Regarding the performance parameter efficiencies between winning and losing teams, large and very large effects in favor of winning were identified for steals/interceptions (d= 1.2) and throw-ins (d= 2.4), respectively. In conclusion, strategic decision-making related to passing, receiving, and the throw-in seems to be essential for scoring tries. Moreover, throw-in efficiency and steals/interceptions emerged as possible performance indicators among elite Brazilian teams.