SA sports scientist Ross Tucker says visiting teams don’t have to wait until the final quarter to feel the effects of altitude at Ellis Park.
England face the Springboks in Johannesburg on Saturday in their Nations Championship opener, with Scotland travelling to Loftus Versfeld the following week.
While altitude is no longer the advantage it once was, Tucker believes it still has a significant impact.
“It’s definitely a factor,” he told RugbyPass. “No one wants to go to altitude. It is harder to play at altitude.
“But eight substitutes, the way the game is played now, and the fact that fewer teams are based at altitude have diminished the size of that advantage compared with 15 years ago.”
RASSIE: Ex-England analyst gives Boks advantage
At Ellis Park’s elevation of 1,753m above sea level, Tucker says players can experience about a 9% reduction in aerobic capacity, making repeated high-intensity efforts far more taxing.
“When athletes run at altitude, from the very first moments of exercise they slow down because their brains pick up that there’s less oxygen,” he explained.
“The problem in rugby is that you can’t really pace yourself because the ball dictates the load.”
ALSO: Boks eager to keep that winning feeling
Tucker dismissed the common belief that the effects only become apparent late in matches.
“There’s a misperception that at altitude it’s going to hit you at 60 minutes,” he said. “I think it’s hitting you from the start.”
Tucker added that research shows “some of the clearest signs of altitude stress emerge between minutes 20 and 40”.
WATCH: Poms prepare for Joburg altitude
England have used simulated altitude training ahead of the Test, but performance specialist Nick Hart says the objective is simply to minimise the impact.
“The key phrase we always use is: reduce the negative impact that altitude has on performance. We want to remove altitude as a criterion for performance, or minimise it and mitigate it as much as possible.”
Tucker said even the smallest drop in performance can prove decisive at Test level.
“That 0.2 seconds over 30m is the difference between the cover tackle being made or not being made.”
Photos: Shaun Roy/Sportsfile via Getty Images
The post England beware: Altitude hits from first whistle appeared first on SA Rugby magazine.
SA sports scientist Ross Tucker says visiting teams don’t have to wait until the final quarter to feel the effects of altitude at Ellis Park.
The post England beware: Altitude hits from first whistle appeared first on SA Rugby magazine. Read More
