Rugby places different physical demands on different positions, and this is reflected in what constitutes a good beep test score depending on where you play.
Scores by Position
Backs (Professional)
Wingers, centres and fullbacks are the most aerobically active players. At amateur level, 10 to 12 is strong for a back.
Front Row (Professional)
Front row demands are more intermittent and involve more static strength effort — scrums, lineouts, mauls.
Flankers / Number 8 (Professional)
Cover more ground than other forwards, scoring closer to backs.
Amateur / Club Level
Backs should target level 10 or above. Forwards should target level 9 or above.
Why Rugby Fitness Is Different
Rugby fitness demands are genuinely different from football or the beep test. Props spend large amounts of time in near-static scrummaging positions that require entirely different energy systems. The beep test does not capture this dimension of fitness. It is useful as one measure of aerobic base but is not sufficient on its own as a rugby fitness assessment.
For backs, beep test training is highly relevant. The repeated high intensity runs, direction changes and recovery patterns of the test closely mirror what a winger or centre experiences during match play.
For forwards, a strong beep test score is an asset — aerobic fitness supports recovery between scrums and carries — but should be balanced with strength and power work that the beep test does not address.
Women's Rugby Standards
Women's rugby at the international and professional level has seen significant growth, particularly since the introduction of the WXV tournament and the expansion of the Red Roses programme. Published data from elite women's rugby environments suggests that international back players typically score in the range of level 10 to 13, with forwards in the range of level 9 to 11.
At club and regional level in England, Allianz Premiership Women's Rugby clubs track beep test scores as part of their pre-season assessment. Outfield backs at this level are typically expected to reach level 10 or above. These standards are comparable to the male community game despite the VO2 max values being somewhat lower — elite female athletes at this level are being assessed against female norms, not male ones.
Super Rugby and Premiership Standards
At the elite professional level — Premiership Rugby in England, Super Rugby in the Southern Hemisphere — beep test scores are routinely in the range of level 14 to 16 for the fittest backs, with some elite sevens players (where aerobic demands are exceptionally high) reportedly reaching above that. These scores represent genuinely exceptional aerobic capacity, in the range of 70+ ml/kg/min VO2 max.
For amateur and semi-professional players, these numbers provide useful context rather than a realistic training target. The purpose of referencing professional scores is to understand the gap — not to close it entirely, but to understand where you sit on the spectrum of rugby fitness.
How to Structure Your Training Week
Fitting beep test training into a rugby training week requires careful management of total load. A typical club rugby training week during the season involves two club sessions, a match, and possibly individual gym work. Adding beep test specific sessions on top risks the kind of cumulative fatigue that hurts performance on match day.
The practical approach for in-season: one moderate intensity shuttle session (30 minutes, not maximal) on the day between training sessions and match day. This maintains aerobic fitness without adding the kind of muscular stress that spills into match performance.
Pre-season is different. With no match commitments, 3 sessions per week from the training guide are achievable and productive. This is the time to make the significant gains you will then maintain during the season.
Training Considerations
The training plan in this site's guide is directly applicable for backs. Forwards should use weeks 1 to 3 of the plan alongside their strength work and reduce the shuttle intensity sessions if recovery becomes compromised.
Pre-season is the right time to build beep test scores. Attempting to improve aerobic fitness during the competitive season while maintaining match fitness and strength work is very difficult to manage without overtaxing the body.