The issue to be raised in this study is whether ice slurry ingestion provided alone is effective in reducing core body temperature (Tcore), hyperthermic markers, and exercise deterioration in Rugby players during an intermittent running protocol in the heat. The purpose of the present study is therefore to investigate the effects of ice slurry drinks on performance, and physiological and perceptual responses during a Rugby Union-specific intermittent activity in hot conditions. Previous studies have examined the effect of pre-cooling and intermittent-sprint exercise activity (Drust, Cable, & Reilly, 2000; Mitchell, Schiller, Miller, & Dugas, 2001; Price, Boyd & Goosey, 2009), yet, previous research has not shown any significant improvements in peak or mean power, speed or distance covered in single (Marsh & Sleivert, 1999) or repeated (Drust et al., 2000) maximal sprints following pre-cooling (Cheung & Robinson, 2004). Nevertheless, few studies have examined the effect of ice slurry drinks as a pre-cooling method prior to intermittent-sprint exercise (Brade, Dawson, & Wallman, 2012; Duffield, Coutts, McCall, & Burgess, 2013), and no previous research has been conducted examining ice slurry ingestion with a rugby specific intermittent running protocol for 80 minutes, therefore this is an area in need of more research and an area that could potentially change the strategies and methods of physical preparation used prior to a game of Rugby. It is hypothesised that ice slurry ingestion will significantly reduce Tcore and delay markers of hyperthermia in Rugby players during an intermittent running protocol in the heat, allowing for an elongation in exercise time to fatigue
