TECHNOLOGY – THE COMPETITIVE EDGE
In the modern (professional) era of rugby it has become much
more than just the 15 players on the park.
Highly qualified support teams with specialist coaches for different
functions becoming the norm with every professional team employing a defence,
attacking, forwards, backline, skills & kicking coach etc and I think the
Kings would do well in acquiring one or two renowned rugby brains to coach the
players.
It has become a game of inches and getting that 5% more out
of your players have become the difference between winning and losing. The latest trend in trying to gain an advantage over the opponent is the application of technology, not only in
coaching but also in data capture as knowledge is power. The more data you receive the easier and more
accurate you can analyse your players, your game plane, opposition players and
also opposition game plan. I think the
Kings would do well in investing in proper technological assistance in the place
of 1 or 2 big contracted players and the technology used can also be used as an
incentive for young aspiring players who want to improve their game to sign for
the Kings. If you can get 5 – 10 % more out of every player in a squad of 30 reasonably
good players surely that is better than having one great highly paid player.
Here is a look at some of the different technologies to look
at to try and improve the quality of the entire squad.
EYEGYM:
I first heard about EyeGym (brainchild of Dr Sherylle Calder – Hand Eye Co-ordination specialist) during Jake Whites tenure as the Springbok coach. It is based on the idea that every person has muscles in each eye and like other muscled in the body it can also be trained and improved.
I first heard about EyeGym (brainchild of Dr Sherylle Calder – Hand Eye Co-ordination specialist) during Jake Whites tenure as the Springbok coach. It is based on the idea that every person has muscles in each eye and like other muscled in the body it can also be trained and improved.
As according to their research 80% of decisions made in
sport are based on visual information it is important to be able to see more,
see it faster and to assess situations quicker in order to make better on field
decisions. EyeGym is an online
interactive programme designed to not only enable the user to see more but also
analyse the data received visually quicker through extensive eye and
recollection exercises.
This program requires the user to take part in 3 – 4
sessions per week to obtain the desired results. This programme is not just for adults but
also different levels available for children making it possible to implement
this programme with specific identified individuals from a younger age such as
u16 (Grant Komo Week). If a player at
that age is willing to commit at least his junior career up till u21 age group
to the Kings they should be prepared to invest into the individual and put them
on this programme. The benefits from
being on this programme for 3 – 4 years before entering the Senior rugby stage
will be invaluable.
Players & teams who use EyeGym as far as I know.
Springboks, Allblacks, England, Johnny Wilkonson, Demetri Catrakilis. This is a reasonably inexpensive form of
technology that is easy to apply and the amount of benefits gained from this
makes this a must for any professional setup.
GPS SYSTEMS:
GPS has become a part of every day life with cellular phones, navigation systems etc. and it is therefor just a natural step to try and find a way to implement this on the rugby field. In the past few years more and more options in this market have been developed and it is a field that is still growing with the quality and quantity of data recorded during each game ever improving. GPS systems allow you to track the movement of each player on the field (distance covered, speed of the player during play) and also allows coached to go back to certain moments in games and determine exactly where each player was on the field to determine how a game changing moment might have occurred or even have been stopped. GPS systems can also be applied during training sessions to meassure the effort put in by players (Bog brother effect). The theory is if you don’t put in 100% in training you wont improve and can also not give 100% during matches. Better effort = Bette results.
GPS has become a part of every day life with cellular phones, navigation systems etc. and it is therefor just a natural step to try and find a way to implement this on the rugby field. In the past few years more and more options in this market have been developed and it is a field that is still growing with the quality and quantity of data recorded during each game ever improving. GPS systems allow you to track the movement of each player on the field (distance covered, speed of the player during play) and also allows coached to go back to certain moments in games and determine exactly where each player was on the field to determine how a game changing moment might have occurred or even have been stopped. GPS systems can also be applied during training sessions to meassure the effort put in by players (Bog brother effect). The theory is if you don’t put in 100% in training you wont improve and can also not give 100% during matches. Better effort = Bette results.
IBM predictive analytics technology
Lately GPS systems have been combined with analytical software as the data received by GPS systems are to much for a coach to analyse himself. The software analyses the data and then presents it as a well organised easy to use and understand information. Heart monitors are strapped to players chests and all their data (oxygen levels, heart rate etc.) collected over a season to try and predict player fatigue and chance of injuries. IBM’s predictive analytic technology (currently being used by the Waratahs & Leicester Tigers) is a perfect example of this. A player is fitted with a small GPS tracking unit placed in a small poach between the shoulder blades just above the number on a players back. The player is also fitted with a heart monitor and numerous sensors on strategic places on the body to monitor intensity levels, collisions and player fatigue. The data is relayed to the coaches live to enable them to accurately determine a player’s current on field fatigue levels and the optimal time to replace a player. This data is captured over a complete season and is then run through the predictive analytic software to predict a player’s injury risk. The Waratahs where convinced when the software looking back at previous seasons where able to accurately predict numerous injuries (not the type but when) players obtained. Obviously the software can not predict ‘freak’ accidents or the type of injury that will be obtained but does accurately predict player fatigue and fatigued players are more likely to get injured. This in the long run allows you to get more out of your players as you adapt his training schedule to his personal fatigue or condition levels. Rather rest a player one week than lose him for 4 – 6 weeks... Maybe not rest him for the match but put him on a lighter exercise program for the week, or put the player on a conditioning programme for the week and less his contact sessions etc etc.
Lately GPS systems have been combined with analytical software as the data received by GPS systems are to much for a coach to analyse himself. The software analyses the data and then presents it as a well organised easy to use and understand information. Heart monitors are strapped to players chests and all their data (oxygen levels, heart rate etc.) collected over a season to try and predict player fatigue and chance of injuries. IBM’s predictive analytic technology (currently being used by the Waratahs & Leicester Tigers) is a perfect example of this. A player is fitted with a small GPS tracking unit placed in a small poach between the shoulder blades just above the number on a players back. The player is also fitted with a heart monitor and numerous sensors on strategic places on the body to monitor intensity levels, collisions and player fatigue. The data is relayed to the coaches live to enable them to accurately determine a player’s current on field fatigue levels and the optimal time to replace a player. This data is captured over a complete season and is then run through the predictive analytic software to predict a player’s injury risk. The Waratahs where convinced when the software looking back at previous seasons where able to accurately predict numerous injuries (not the type but when) players obtained. Obviously the software can not predict ‘freak’ accidents or the type of injury that will be obtained but does accurately predict player fatigue and fatigued players are more likely to get injured. This in the long run allows you to get more out of your players as you adapt his training schedule to his personal fatigue or condition levels. Rather rest a player one week than lose him for 4 – 6 weeks... Maybe not rest him for the match but put him on a lighter exercise program for the week, or put the player on a conditioning programme for the week and less his contact sessions etc etc.
IBM has joined the Waratahs as their technological partner
and I think the Kings would do well in acquiring a technological partner like
IBM or similar (there are a few to choose from) to become competitive.
BODY COMPOSITION
Measuring body fat is useful but subject to measurement error. DXA (Dual X-ray energy absorptiometry) is probably the best way to measure this. Regular measurements during in-season and off-season enables team doctors and staff to determine the effect on the body during the season and during the off period of each player to better manage their training schedules.
Measuring body fat is useful but subject to measurement error. DXA (Dual X-ray energy absorptiometry) is probably the best way to measure this. Regular measurements during in-season and off-season enables team doctors and staff to determine the effect on the body during the season and during the off period of each player to better manage their training schedules.
I believe with the correct technology in place the Kings can
get 5 – 10% more out of each player, get more game time out of players as they
are better managed and even use it as an incentive for young players to sign
for the team. The above mentioned are only a few examples and the field of sport technology is constantly improving and rowing and a professional team should jump on the wagon before they get left behind.
