Small-sided games in rugby union training: A narrative review

Abstract

Small-sided games (SSGs) have gained prominence in rugby union training due to their potential to simultaneously develop players’ physical, technical, and tactical capacities. However, a comprehensive understanding of how SSGs are structured and applied remains limited. This narrative review aimed to identify and analyze studies that implemented SSGs in rugby union training, focusing on game formats, participant characteristics, and training outcomes. A literature search was conducted in PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, SPORTDiscus, and SciELO databases up to March 2025. Sixteen studies published between 2012 and 2024 met the inclusion criteria. Data extraction was performed independently by two reviewers using a structured coding framework, and findings were synthesized narratively due to the heterogeneity of studies’ designs and outcomes. Results revealed considerable variation in SSG designs regarding the number of players (1v1 to 12v12), pitch dimensions (15×12 m to 100×70 m), and contact rules (touch, tackle, or non-contact). SSGs with fewer players and larger fields were associated with greater physical and perceptual demands. Technical and tactical benefits were also observed, particularly when SSGs were pedagogically adapted to the athletes’ experience and developmental level. Nonetheless, most studies involved adult male or elite players, highlighting a gap in research with female and youth categories. Furthermore, few studies examined how contact rules influenced training outcomes. Future investigations should include more diverse populations and explore how constraint manipulations affect game representativeness and skill acquisition in rugby union.

Keywords: sort, SSG, training