Effects of consecutive domestic and international tournaments on heart rate variability in an elite rugby sevens team

Abstract Objectives The purpose of this study was to evaluate heart rate variability and athlete self-report measures of recovery status (ASRM) in response to consecutive domestic and international tournaments among an elite rugby sevens team. Design Retrospective. Methods Olympic-level rugby sevens players (n = 10) recorded post-waking natural logarithm of the root mean square of successive differences (LnRMSSD) and ASRM (sleep quality, energy, soreness, recovery and mood) throughout a 1-week baseline period and daily thereafter throughout a domestic and subsequent international tournament, separated by five days. Linear mixed models and Hedge’s effect sizes ± 95% confidence interval (ES ± 95% CI) were used to evaluate variation in LnRMSSD and ASRM relative to baseline. Results Decrements in various ASRM were observed in response to both tournaments (ES = −0.80 ± 0.91 to −1.73 ± 1.03, p   0.05). Conclusions Greater decrements in cardiac-autonomic activity were observed in response to an international tournament relative to a domestic tournament, despite no difference in match-physical demands. Thus, factors separate from competition alone may impact players’ cardiac-autonomic response to an international tournament.