Conditioning session
RPE
HEART
Following resistance training, athletes were required to undertake a running conditioning session designed by the team’s strength and conditioning coaches. The session had components of repeated speed, maximal aerobic speed, and high-intensity interval running. The running conditioning session took approximately 45 minutes to complete, and the same session was completed on the same standard-sized rugby field on both occasions. For each session, locomotion activity was measured using an 18 Hz GPS unit to ensure trials were the same each week (Apex Pro Series Pod, STATSports, Belfast, UK). Units were worn on the upper back to decrease variability, and each athlete used the same GPS unit for both conditions. Heart rate (HR) monitors (Polar Electro Oy, Kempele, Finland) were worn by all athletes, with average, and maximal HR recorded by researchers for analysis. Finally, each athlete reported a rating of perceived exertion after the conditioning session. RPE was assessed using Borg’s modified 1–10 scale.