Rugby fitness tests
The rugby fitness tests players and clubs use, each one free to run here: the Bronco, the yo-yo test, the beep test and the jump tests. What each one tells you, how to run it, and what professional players score.
- Bronco testFree timer1,200 m of shuttles: 20, 40 and 60 m out and back, five times, against the clock.Super Rugby men average 5:11, women 6:19.Time a Bronco
- Yo-yo testFree beeps40 m runs on the beeps with 10 seconds of rest between them, a little faster each level.Super Rugby forwards average 1,517 m, backs 2,238 m.Run the yo-yo test
- Beep testFree beeps20 m shuttles on the beeps with no rest, faster every minute, and an estimated VO2 max for your score.Active adults in the study behind the UK version reached level 12.6 (men) and 9.6 (women).Run the beep test
- Jump testsFree checkerA vertical jump against a wall and a standing long jump with a tape measure.Super Rugby forwards jump 252 cm in the long jump, backs 269 cm.Check your jumps
- 30m sprint testFree calculatorA standing 30 m sprint with 10 and 20 m splits, turned into a speed.Super Rugby backs run 10 m in 1.66 s, forwards in 1.78 s.Time your sprint
- 1RM calculatorFree calculatorYour one rep max for the squat, bench press and deadlift from any set of 1 to 10 reps, in kilos or pounds.The same formula our Teams portal uses, with what rugby players lift drawn in your unit.Work out your 1RM
Which test answers which question
| The question | The test |
|---|---|
| Can I keep repeating hard runs with short rests? | Yo-yo test |
| How long can I keep running as the pace rises? | Beep test |
| How fast can I run 1,200 m of shuttles? | Bronco test |
| How much power do my legs have for my size? | Jump tests |
| How strong am I, without testing a true single? | 1RM calculator |
| How quick am I off the mark? | 30m sprint test |
| How hard do I drive in contact? | Sled drive test |
How to test well
Same points each year
The studies on these pages tested at the start and the end of pre-season. Testing at the same points each year makes your numbers comparable.Same conditions
Same field, same boots, same time of day and the same warm-up, so the change you see is you and not the conditions.Practise first
Do a test once before it counts. In one study, adults jumped 12 cm further a week later just from having done the test before.Your own trend first
Professional numbers show where the game is. Your own last result is the one to beat.
For clubs: Squad Testing
Clubs on Elite Rugby App log their players’ tests in the Teams portal: the Bronco, the Yo-Yo IR1, jump height and broad jump, sprints and lifts. Each player’s best and the squad’s average sit on one page, and a player who drops back by more than a test’s own day-to-day noise is flagged.
Every number on these pages comes from a study we have read in full, listed on each test’s own page. Between tests, the Nordic hamstring curl and the Copenhagen plank pages cover the strength work around the running, and the RPE scale shows how teams count a week of it. Train for the tests with our rugby fitness drills and pre-season plan.
Rugby fitness test questions
What fitness tests do rugby players do?
Rugby players are mostly tested on running fitness, speed, power and strength. A 2026 review of 37 studies found the most used were the squat and bench press 1RM, the countermovement jump, 10 to 40 m sprints, the Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery Test and the agility t-test. Rugby also has its own running test, the Bronco.
Which is better for rugby, the Bronco or the yo-yo test?
Neither the Bronco nor the yo-yo test is better for rugby; they ask slightly different questions. The Bronco is 1,200 m of shuttles with no rest, against the clock. The yo-yo gives you 10 seconds after every 40 m and finds the pace you can no longer hold. Pick one and test it the same way every time.
How often should rugby players do fitness testing?
How often rugby players do fitness testing is up to the club and the coach; the studies on our test pages tested players at the start and the end of pre-season. Whatever you choose, test at the same points each year, on the same surface, so your numbers can be compared.
Can I do rugby fitness tests on my own?
You can do most rugby fitness tests on your own. The yo-yo and beep tests need only lines and the beeps, which play from this site, and the jump tests need a wall and a tape measure. The Bronco needs a mate on the timer, because someone has to tap as you cross the line.
What equipment do I need for rugby fitness testing?
For rugby fitness testing you need a tape measure, cones or lines on flat ground, and a phone. The yo-yo and beep tests use three and two lines, the Bronco four cones, and the jump tests a wall with some chalk and a line on the floor.
Free guides
Coaching & training guides
Strength & Conditioning
Rugby Conditioning Drills: 12 Rugby Fitness Drills by Level
Twelve drills from beginner to advanced with diagrams and stadium films, plus conditioning games, conditioning with no pitch and the weekly dose.
10 min read
Strength & Conditioning
Rugby Pre-Season Training: 8-Week Program + Free PDF
The eight-week build, six and four-week versions if you start late, your first week back and the tests, plus a free PDF to take to training.
15 min read
Strength & Conditioning
Rugby Strength and Conditioning: The Complete Guide
Strength, power, speed, the engine and durability: what each one does, through the season and by position, with the tests and a typical week.
11 min read
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