How Technology is Shaping the Future of Rugby
(SPORTS TECHNOLOGY)
Rugby: possibly the most physically demanding of all team contact sports. It’s a dirty and hard scramble to victory that requires a combination of ruthless tactics and brutal tactility. Luckily, technology is on hand to help with the challenge. With the world-famous tournament featuring six of the northern hemisphere’s finest rugby nations in full flow, the sport of rugby has never been so hi-tech.
Sports Betting Technology
Ever since Rugby turned professional in 1995, the sport has gained global fame. With a rise and innovation in technology and media, where the sport’s profile has experienced a major rise, Rugby betting as sports betting has also escalated. This demand for Rugby and sports betting has triggered several innovations behind betting technology like online sportsbooks.
Many sports betting software companies have now evolved that provide an array of features to sports punters like watching live matches, team and player information and various betting models like those that we can find on sports betting brands at newzealandcasinos.nz.
Punters can now bet on all major international matches and championships online. A vast variety of bets available has made sports betting so popular.
Sports betting has also made the sport more accessible globally over the years. Sports betting makes up a considerable amount of online sportsbooks’ turnover as enormous amounts of money are now being wagered on top international Rugby matches.
I spy the fly-half
With fifteen players to a team, micromanagement is crucial to overseeing individual performance. Every player’s contribution to the game in both training and matches needs to be assessed. Player kits with GPS tracking enable the next stage of this athletic evaluation. Analyzing player movements, speed and efficiency with real, hard data give laser-targeted feedback, opening up essential insight into the team’s greatest strengths.
Given the hard-hitting nature of the sport, rugby is injury-heavy. The physical strain of smashing head on to the opposing team cannot be underestimated. The GPS tracks the acceleration of each tackle and the impact it has on each individual. With this quantifiable information to hand, coaches have been able to identify and reduce potential injuries.
Ultimately, the GPS tech puts a huge wealth of previously unavailable data in the hands of the coach, giving them a lean advantage over both game preparation and game management, maximizing efficiency, minimizing failure.
Training for tries
With an outdoor sport, it’s as much about the conditions in which the game is played as it is about the players on the pitch. Strong winds, icy temperatures, and the unforgiving sun can all determine how a game plays out. The technology keeps track of these conditions.
New tech from Garmin (News - Alert) seeks to deal with the threat from mother earth’s breezy gusts. A wind tracking device attached to the goalpost linked to a GPS watch allows teams to measure wind speed and direction. Knowing the elements that can change the course of a kick gives teams the chance to tailor their efforts accordingly. Sometimes just a minor alteration in direction of a last-minute penalty kick can be the difference between victory and defeat.
The whistleblowers
The rule book-wielding official dictates play and has a decisive role in any match – and the ref is surrounded by a suite of smart tech. In addition to Hawk-Eye, there is also the ref cam: a solid piece of observational tech that seeks to affirm every decision made throughout the game’s 80 minutes. The ref cam is a lightweight HD camera unit, worn on the head or chest. Not only is it used to clarify any adjudicating during the match, but broadcasters can also tap into the feed to offer fans watching at home a more intimate view of the action. It’s a simple idea that gets viewers as close to the scrum as possible, without the need for studs.
From jerseys that provide precision climate control and track the physical condition of each player, through to innovative broadcasting capabilities, the technology behind rugby is pushing forward with all the gusto of a loosehead prop.
