The history of technology in rugby is an interesting one that has seen the game change drastically over time. From TV broadcasts to gumshield tech, continue reading for more information on how this sport’s technological advancements have shaped modern-day sports culture!
The Ref Cam
The technology to capture referees in real time is already here and widely used. With a camera fitted onto their existing headset or a bodycam, are able see what it’s like from the perspective of being on-field and hear all of the action. This innovation has revolutionised the way rugby fans can engage with games! So whether you like real time referee feedback or long rugby reads – there’s a way for every fan to consume the game.
Television Match Officials
A Television Match Official (TMO) is a person that assists the referee in determining whether points have been scored or if foul play has been detected. With television coverage of rugby matches becoming more common today, this extra layer provides accuracy and precision when it comes to decision making. If certain elements are missed, games can end up being misinterpreted or decisions called at 50/50. A classic example was the Lions Tour of South Africa in 1974 – players seemingly purposely engaged in a brawl as an attempt to stop a player being singled out by the referee for fighting. This technology would make it fairly quick and easy to discover the source of the brawl and ensure punishments were accurately distributed.
Hawkeye
Hawkeye has been used in a number of different sports to help officials determine the outcome. While it is not flawless, many key governing bodies accept Haweye as an accurate means for determining outcomes and are even increasingly utilized by betting sites that offer live odds during games with this new technology!
GPS Tracking
GPS technology has revolutionized the game of rugby, with its ability to track players and their movements. Clubs can use this data for a variety purposes from analyzing fitness levels to injury prevention. It’s also an insightful way analyze technique among each player on the team to help with strategy adjustments going forward.
Smart Boots
Changing weather conditions is a common problem for rugby players and clubs. If it starts to rain heavily during a game, player performance can be severely impacts in a couple of ways. However, the development of smart boots allow players to adapt to changing weather conditions and cause the least amount of disruption during any sudden weather changes during play compared to standard rugby boots. Crucially, it’s not only performance that is improved by new boot technologies, but players are also less likely to fall victim to a number of weather-related injuries.
Head Impact Data
Through sensors available in gumshields or helmets, live head impact data can be viewed by doctors and pitch side that help them understand the risk of concussion to their players and allow them to pull a player out if the risk becomes too high – potentially preventing long term damage.
