They will capture metrics that can assess a particular player’s individual performance and compare it to their opposite number
Smart balls will be used for the first time during the 2023 Guinness Six Nations and TikTok Women’s Six Nations rugby competitions to provide live insights into the action.
New data points captured by smart ball for the Championships include a Scrum Weights split, which illustrates how weight is distributed throughout the forwards and how it could impact the scrum outcome.
The use of the smart ball provides real-time data and analysis to millions of viewers across broadcast and social media coverage.
The development to use the smart ball has been driven by Sage (an official insights partner of Six Nations Rugby), which has also partnered with sponsor TikTok to provide fans with insight-driven content and editorial analysis.
Sage and TikTok will also co-create an eight-part content series – Insightful Discussions – which is being jointly produced with Six Nations Rugby and brings together big names from the men’s and women’s games to offer their personal insights.
A smart ball was previously used during the 2022 Autumn Nations Series. During the Six Nations Championship it will capture more metrics than before, including the ability to assess a particular player’s individual performance and be able to compare it to their opposite number.
Cath Keers, CMO, Sage said: “As official insights partner, our focus throughout this partnership has been to bring better insights and data to the game and its fans. It has been great to see this come to life with the smart ball data during the recent Autumn Nations Series.
“We are committed to enhancing the fan experience and our partnership with TikTok will allow us to do that – by making data and insights more human and accessible.”
The partnership with Six Nations Rugby follows Sage’s role as official insights partner to The Hundred cricket and with Major League Baseball in North America.
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