Premiership Rugby Cup to use ‘smart’ ball in first northern-hemisphere trial

Premiership Rugby Cup fixtures will from this week start trialling the ‘smart’ rugby ball which aims to transform the way data is processed by coaches, players and fans alike.

The ball, which has been in development for years, will be used for the last 15 matches of the cup competition, starting with three fixtures on Friday night – Bristol v Bath, London Irish v Harlequins and Newcastle v Leicester.

Chips inside the ball communicate with sensors around the stadium up to 20 times every second, with an artificial intelligence tool then automatically enabling “precise information and insights about the ball’s movement when it is passed and kicked – such as speed, distance and hang-time, for example – to be seen in real-time”, Premiership Rugby said.

The trial marks the first time the ball will be used in a professional competition in the northern hemisphere.

Phil Winstanley, rugby director at Premiership Rugby said: “We are constantly looking at innovations and ways to grow the game and we are delighted to have chosen to trial this new smart ball.

“We hope this new rugby ball will help provide a greater insight for a new audience, while deepening our relationship with our current fans.

“The smart ball also gives our players and coaches the ability to improve performance on the field and in training with unique data. Touring our clubs with the ball in recent weeks has shown us that the players and coaches can’t wait to get started with it.”