The purpose of this study was to examine the mediational relationships between athletes’ perceptions of task cohesion, role ambiguity, and the intensity and direction of cognitive anxiety during a European rugby union championship. A total of 26 athletes from the ‘Under 18’ French national team completed task cohesion and role ambiguity inventories before the tournament and a measure of the intensity and direction of cognitive anxiety before each of their three games. In general, the regression analyses supported a mediating effect of group integration-task (GI-T) in the relationship between role ambiguity (i.e., scope of responsibilities and role behaviors in the offensive and defensive contexts) and the direction of cognitive anxiety before two of the three games. Taken together, the results provide support for the contention that the psychological environment created within a group influences the psychological state of its members. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.

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