Tag: statsports

How Technology Is Changing Rugby in 2026

From the data vest worn under a player’s jersey to the bunker review that can overturn a referee’s call, technology is reshaping how rugby is coached, officiated, and how players are kept safe, with the Rugby World Cup in Australia next year adding urgency to every decision.

Smart Mouthguards: A Turning Point for Player Welfare

World Rugby mandated the Prevent Biometrics instrumented mouthguard across all elite competition from January 2024, backing the rollout with €2 million. 

Transmitting impact data via Bluetooth to a pitchside doctor, the device triggers a Head Injury Assessment when a collision exceeds a set g-force threshold. 

A newer version with LED lights debuted at the 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup and is confirmed for the men’s Rugby Championship ahead of RWC27, representing a significant step forward in real-time concussion identification.

GPS Tracking: The Data Behind Every Metre

The GPS vest has become standard kit at elite level, with devices from providers like STATSports and Catapult tracking distance, speed zones, and collision counts in real time. 

The data is position-specific, meaning backs and forwards are managed on different conditioning programmes, with AI now used to refine individual training loads further. 

Platforms like Vodafone’s PLAYER.Connect pull GPS, heart rate, and biometric data into a single coaching dashboard, and by the time squads assemble for Australia, performance staff will have years of granular player data to draw on.

Referee Technology: Progress With Caveats

The Foul Play Review Officer process and TMO system give referees access to multiple camera angles and a dedicated bunker team, allowing decisions on foul play, try awards, and card upgrades to be reviewed with a level of scrutiny impossible in real time. 

The 2026 Six Nations largely demonstrated the system working as intended, though the closing stages of France’s title-winning 48-46 victory over England drew criticism after the TMO was accused of intervening outside its permitted scope. 

World Rugby has since appointed an independent panel with a July deadline to resolve questions about protocol consistency and referee authority during reviews before Australia.

The Stakes

Rugby in 2026 finds itself better equipped than ever to protect players and improve decision-making, but the sport is still resolving where the boundaries of technological intervention should lie. With the World Cup less than a year away, the pressure to get that balance right has never been greater.

Irish tech company, STATSports launch first ever GPS Women’s Sports Bra

Today, STATSports, the world’s leading company in GPS performance data, have launched their first ever Women’s GPS Sports Bra along with their new apparel wear. 

The all-new seamless GPS quick dry bra is the industry’s first and will replace the standard unisex performance vest for women. STATSports were assisted in the development and testing of the product by Arsenal and Republic of Ireland star, Katie McCabe and England and Man City captain, Stephanie Houghton – both are ambassadors and investors of the brand.

The STATSports Apex pod, which measures athlete performance across 16 key metrics such as max speed, high speed running, high intensity distance, step balance, sprints, stress load and more, inserts into the bra without the need for the performance vest, reducing layers for female players.

The new design of the bra is longer in length which will provide extra security for females during training and matchdays. There are also removal cups for personal choice, adapting to cup size to ensure the right support is provided. 

Katie McCabe, who sits top of the Women Super League this season, which has seen an increae of 5.9 million viewers in 2021, said: “It’s brilliant to have a new vest specifically for female players, as it’s another positive step for women’s football. STATSports has become essential to the way we train and play, so it’s vital that the kit to support the tech works for us.”

Stephanie Houghton, said: “I’ve been working closely with STATSports around the research and development of the new product, which is so important to feel comfortable when playing the sport. In particular, the soft quick dry yarn feels amazing next to the skin, acting as your base support layer. Football is all about marginal gains, and this product will help elevate players.”

Fellow STATSports ambassador and global soccer star, Megan Rapinoe added: “It is imperative for the brands that I work with to commit to improving women’s sports. Soccer is ever-evolving and it’s great to align with STATSports to develop the game.  We are proud to introduce our first women’s product, which players like myself, Alex Morgan, Stephanie Houghton and Katie McCabe have already put to the test.”

“Katie and Stephanie have been instrumental in the development of the new STATSports Women’s sports bra and we’re delighted to have them on our team. We want to ensure all players feel comfortable in our products, and so we felt that it was imperative to create a female specific holding device for the technology.” says Sean O’Connor, STATSports Co-Founder and COO. 

The new apparel range consists of a unisex performance vest, designed by Liverpool player, Alex Oxlade Chamberlain, ¼ drill top, short and long sleeve performance tees and a women’s drill top – the perfect last minute Christmas gifts for the athletes in the family. 

To purchase the new STATSports Women’s Sports Bra or the apparel range, please visit: statsports.com