Meet the Springboks’ SECRET RWC weapon
Here’s a hint, the Springboks’ secret RWC weapon isn’t the rolling maul or rush defence. It starts and ends with DATA.
You definitely won’t see anything discernably different about our boys when they run out this Sunday (10 September 2023) to face Scotland in their tournament opener. But they will in fact be debuting the Springboks’ secret RWC weapon, reports TechCentral.
SPRINGBOKS’ SECRET RWC WEAPON
Winning a tournament like the Rugby World Cup doesn’t just happen, it takes an entire technological ecosystem. And it is this data-driven approach that South African Rugby Union (SARU) technical support manager, Willie Maree, calls the Springboks’ secret RWC weapon.
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In TechCentral’s interview with Maree, he said the Springboks’ secret RWC weapon is all about measuring and monitoring performance. The main tool used for data collection is a GPS tracker that each player wears in a sleeve in the back of their jersey. The data is then tracked by STATSports for analysis. The pods are supplemented with heart-rate belts in practices.
TEAMED WITH IN-GAME DATA
Along with the GPS trackers, the Springboks’ secret RWC weapon is its analysis of in-game data. Made up of information on tackles, ball carries, passes and kicks, this data is consumed by the technical team in real time. This is in partnership with South African company, Mobii System. It takes just 0.25 seconds from live for the data to be gathered, making it the quickest system in the world at this stage, says Maree.
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Data profiles are used to compare players to their peak performance, which helps the technical teams make decisions about selection. Besides self-comparison, each player competing for a position is assessed to see if he’s the most in-form for the next game.
THE COACH STILL MAKES THE CALL
“If a player is not ready – it might be mentally, performance-wise or medically – there might be something that the fan out there doesn’t know. Science will determine if a player’s is ready or not, but as with any organisation, the coach’s gut feel and experience still plays a role,” concluded Maree.
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What do you think of the Springboks’ secret RWC weapon? When it comes to the Green and Gold, is data and tech a match for heart and commitment? Be sure to share your thoughts with our audience in the comments section below. Send an email to info@thesouthafrican.com, or you can WhatsApp us on 060 011 0211.
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