Rugby-Women's World Cup teams to be offered 'smart' mouthguards

Rugby's global governing body said in a statement the initiative was part of an official supplier deal with the U.S.-based developer of the mouthguards, Prevent Biometrics. Australia and New Zealand are co-hosting the World Cup, which runs from Oct. 8 to Nov. 12.


Reuters | Melbourne | Updated: 13-07-2022 07:38 IST | Created: 13-07-2022 07:38 IST
Rugby-Women's World Cup teams to be offered 'smart' mouthguards
  • Country:
  • Australia

All 12 teams at the women's Rugby World Cup will be offered the use of 'smart' mouthguards to help better understand and reduce concussions in the game, World Rugby said. Rugby's global governing body said in a statement the initiative was part of an official supplier deal with the U.S.-based developer of the mouthguards, Prevent Biometrics.

Australia and New Zealand are co-hosting the World Cup, which runs from Oct. 8 to Nov. 12. "The technology within the mouthguards will allow researchers to assess the frequency and magnitude of head contact and head accelerations, providing reliable, objective measures of both match and training head impact and contact load to players, coaches and academics," World Rugby said.

England and New Zealand trialled the mouthguards in training and matches last year. Mouthguards equipped with electronic sensors that collect data on head impact metrics are being trialled in multiple sports, including American football, soccer, rugby and Australian Rules football.

English soccer expanded its study into the risks of heading the ball this year, with 12 clubs across men's and women's leagues wearing instrumented mouthguards at training until the end of the season.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

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