Abstract

Line-outs in rugby union are one of the quantitatively and qualitatively important ways of re-starting the game or winning possession. In this paper we describe line-outs in a high level international tournament, study differences among the teams and determine the variables that impact winning the ball. Based on a starting set of variables we developed a tool, validated by experts in the field, to observe the key factors. We studied 358 line-outs from the Six Nations Tournament 2013 by video analysis. The results gave detailed information about the chosen variables (match, team, home/away, number of line-out, lighting, wind, time, result, side, area, number of players, previous structure, jump structure, jumper position, shifting position, movement, feint, angle, speed, time in the air, distance, height, and possession). Significant differences among the teams were found in the number of players, angle, time in the air and height. Finally, our results show that the probability of winning the ball is higher when time in the air and distance are between 0.36 – 0.84 s and 5 – 10 m, respectively.