Roles, Rituals and Emotional Regulation of rugby players on different competitive levels

Abstract

Globally, people engage in the game of rugby as spectators, players and organisations on many different competitive levels for 
the purpose of leisure, work and play. It is performed on both amateur and professional levels and engaged in by male and 
female players ranging from pre-school to adults. The purpose of the study was to describe and compare the roles, rituals and 
emotional regulation, on and off the field, of male rugby players on three different competitive levels in the Free State, South Africa. 
A cross-sectional study design was used amongst rugby players (n=45); 1 team per competitive level (3 levels). The results of 
the study showed significant differences with regards to roles that rugby players on the different competitive levels assume 
and the importance which they ascribe to each role. Variations exist in the rituals that the rugby players on the different 
competitive levels perform before and during the game of rugby. The degree to which situations are experienced as stressful differs across the three competitive levels. Across these levels, the use of positive verbal and non- erbal expression is used 
more than negative expression. Across all three levels rugby players use emotional
suppression more than situational reappraisal as an emotional regulation strategy. Additional factors and the comparison 
thereof on different competitive levels should be investigated in future studies.

Key words: Roles, rituals, emotional regulation, occupation, rugby.