Tackling Fatigue: How to Train for the Final 20 Minutes of Rugby

Rugby games are won and lost in the last 20 minutes. Fatigue sets in. Decision-making slows. Technique breaks down. Injuries spike.

Most players struggle to maintain power and speed when their legs start burning. That’s where match fitness comes in.

What Is Rugby Match Fitness?

Match fitness isn’t just aerobic capacity. It’s the ability to sustain high-intensity efforts repeatedly—while staying sharp under fatigue.

Key components include:

• Aerobic endurance: To recover quickly between bouts of effort
• Anaerobic capacity: For repeated sprints and tackles
• Muscular endurance: To maintain strength and power late in games
• Mental resilience: Staying focused and making smart decisions

Training to Beat Fatigue Without Burning Out

The challenge? Training hard enough to improve but not so hard you overtrain.

CURVA’s approach balances intensity and recovery by:

• Conditioning blocks designed to simulate game scenarios
• Fatigue-specific drills where skills and decision-making happen under tired conditions
• Periodised plans that peak your fitness at the right time
• Built-in recovery days to prevent burnout

Sample Finishers From CURVA

• Repeated sprint sets: 6x20m sprints with 20s rest
• Contact circuits: Tackling bags plus burpees, repeated 3 rounds
• Decision drills under fatigue: Passing and catching while gasping for air

These are scaled and adjusted based on position and current fitness.

The Takeaway

You can’t just train harder—you have to train smarter.

The players who win final quarters are those with the best rugby match fitness. That means training your body and mind to push through fatigue and perform when it counts.

Build your match fitness the smart way with CURVA. Train to finish strong, every game.