Smart Ball Technology Is All Set To Kick, Pass And Throw At Rugby Field!

Attention all rugby fans, sports enthusiasts and tech aficionados! Prepare to be amazed as we unveil a ground-breaking development that will revolutionize the world of rugby. 

According to a recent report, World Rugby, the governing body for the world's rugby unions, is about to improve its game with some high-tech assistance. They're planning to trial smart ball technology at the under-20 world championship in South Africa next month. In short, referees can now breathe a sigh of relief as smart ball technology will have their back like a solid scrum. The smart ball will have an RFID chip but weighs and feels just like a regular rugby ball.
 

Phil Davies, the Director of Rugby at World Rugby, is pumped about this new development. "Rugby refereeing is perhaps the most difficult officiating job in sport," Davies said. "There are multiple decisions or non-decisions that are made at any given moment and the advancement of broadcast and social media means that such decisions are poured over long after the event." He added.

"The evolution of smart ball technology opens the door to assist match officials in reaching accurate decisions more quickly, removing subjectivity and reducing the chance of error." He continued.
 

Seems like technology is bringing a whole new meaning to smart moves on the field. However, this isn't the first time technology has intervened in sports. #ThrowbackTime

Just last year, there was a bit of a hiccup with goal-line technology in English league football. Huddersfield was denied a goal when the ball clearly crossed the line but the technology failed to alert the referee. Oops! Hawk-Eye, the goal-line technology provider, apologized and explained that the cameras were obstructed, leading to the mishap.

"Hawk-Eye can confirm that the ball was obscured from the goal-line technology tracking cameras as it moved over the line," the company's statement read. "The position of the players, the goal post and the goalkeeper impacted the cameras' line of sight to the moving ball and as such, a decision could not be determined by the system." The statement continued.
 

The "smart ball technology" in rugby will be tracked in real-time 3D, with beacons strategically placed around the field. These beacons will determine the ball's exact position up to 20 times per second. It will provide immediate feedback on every kick, pass and throw although it may face issues such as damage from wear and tear, as well as water during rainy games.

Despite some failures in other ball sport, seeing if smart ball technology will successfully pass the test on the rugby field is exciting!

Are you curious to see this juicy combination of technology and sports in action? Feel free to pitch your thoughts in the comments section below!