5G helps Irish Rugby team prepare for the World Cup

Earlier this year, those attending the Bank of Ireland Nations Series rugby matches against Italy and England at Aviva Stadium got to access Vodafone’s new 5G Stadium App.

Using augmented reality (AR), live performance tracking and instant game and player stats, the app delivers an enhanced fan experience.

Delivering an enhanced experience

By opening the app and pointing the camera at the pitch, fans were able to explore a breadth of insights, for example, how many tackles, passes and carriers a player had made, in real-time. Something that is usually only available after the match.

Developed by Immersiv, the app uses our 5G network. With its lightning-fast speeds and low latency data transfer, as well as its capacity to carry vast amounts of data, it offers fans the ability to track players and delivery stats almost instantly.

Now available via the MyVodafone app or app stores, fans will be able to explore live elements of the game like never before.

Preparing for the World Cup

Already having a serious impact in the world of sport, 5G is providing fans with new and exciting ways to watch the sports they love. From improving broadcast with exclusive content such as behind-the-scenes footage and pre or post-game interviews, to the real-time stats now available via immersive apps.

In Ireland, we’ve taken this one step further. We’ve been working with the Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU) to use 5G to improve the Irish Rugby team’s development, giving them insights to create more data-driven strategies.

Installing the latest 5G Standalone Mobile Private Network (MPN) technology, we will supply the team with the fastest and most reliable in-play data analysis analytics possible, ahead of the World Cup in France next month.

Making decisions on the fly

Giving instant feedback on on-field plays and tactics, our 5G MPN connectivity and artificial intelligence (AI) technology, provided in partnership with Ericsson, ensures faster downloads and uploads with limited lag time, providing almost immediate performance analysis for quicker decisions on the pitch.

Using this reliable connectivity, high-resolution video streams are captured by multiple cameras and a 5G connected drone before being analysed to give clear data on each of the players and the overall team’s performance.

In simple terms, it improves the ability to maximise the time on pitch where the smallest tweak to a running line or defensive position, can have a significant impact on the game.

Supporting the IRFU’s Head of Analytics and Innovation, Vinny Hammond and his analysis team, this technology will allow them to quickly breakdown and organise data to present it back in a clear manner to other coaching staff and management.

Players, management teams and coaches will also feel the real benefit of instant feedback, so they can make more informed decisions during matches.

Touch down in France

After a successful trial, the new solution will now be brought to France in a bespoke 5G Connected Van for the World Cup to help IRFU stay one step ahead of their competitors.

More broadly, this collaboration has led to a clearer understanding of the specific performance outcomes sought by elite sports teams and has demonstrated how technology and connectivity can enhance the business of sport and the performance of teams, bringing in added layers of data and analysis.