TheGameStartsHere in partnership with Beats by Dr. Dre
This, say the Scots, is where the Television Match Official should have come in. Far from a new idea in World Rugby, the video referee is a prominent figure in both codes of the sport. They leave the on-field official free to refer any contentious decisions to his colleague, who has the advantage of real-time access to action replays at various angles, slo-motion footage and a zoom facility. It's all designed to ensure that the majority of decisions made by the team of officials are as correct as possible, no matter how long it takes to come up with the answer.The referee on the night, Craig Joubert, failed to utilise his man upstairs for the biggest call of the test, which would have removed all doubt from the minds of the players and fans alike. Instead, what should have been a celebration for Australia was overshadowed by a technology-tinged debate sparked by the winning penalty, which could have quite easily been avoided.READ MORE: The Essential Songs of the Rugby World Cup
Bernard Foley prepares to kick what would prove to be the winning penalty | PA Images
The oft repeated, world famous footage of John McEnroe at Wimbledon in 1981 may not have ever occurred had Hawk-Eye been available at the time, with the tennis legend spared a lifetime of people bellowing "you cannot be serious!" at him in the street. So iconic that McEnroe named his own autobiography after the outburst, technology could've made the correct call on one of sport's most memorable moments right there and then.Until this World Cup, however, Hawk-Eye technology wasn't being widely used in rugby. Upgrading their old video referee system, the new package allows for a far more thorough replay selection for the TMO to sift through, with the feed becoming available in a much quicker time. The idea, at least in theory, is that better decision will be made in faster timeframes, allowing the game to flow more naturally, without mistakes being made that could cost a side on the global stage.READ MORE: Talking Rugby and the Haka with a Maori Cultural Expert
The Television Match Official looks on during New Zealand's pool stage match with Namibia | PA Images
A decision that was apparently 18-months in the making, with plenty of youth games and tournaments used as trial subjects, the technology was also said to help in the identification and management of head injuries, making sure that concussion mismanagement didn't become an unwelcome sub-plot of the tournament. Players, usually the first to complain if denied entry back on to the field, can now be shown precise footage of why exactly the medical team have decided against allowing them to re-join the game.READ MORE: The Rugby World Cup's Key Venues
|
Bernard Foley prepares to kick what would prove to be the winning penalty | PA Images
The oft repeated, world famous footage of John McEnroe at Wimbledon in 1981 may not have ever occurred had Hawk-Eye been available at the time, with the tennis legend spared a lifetime of people bellowing "you cannot be serious!" at him in the street. So iconic that McEnroe named his own autobiography after the outburst, technology could've made the correct call on one of sport's most memorable moments right there and then.Until this World Cup, however, Hawk-Eye technology wasn't being widely used in rugby. Upgrading their old video referee system, the new package allows for a far more thorough replay selection for the TMO to sift through, with the feed becoming available in a much quicker time. The idea, at least in theory, is that better decision will be made in faster timeframes, allowing the game to flow more naturally, without mistakes being made that could cost a side on the global stage.One of the biggest advantages of the new system, in a game specific sense, is deciding on the grounding of a ball when all natural viewing angles have been obscured by surrounding players. Often, tries scored at the base of a maul, with both sets of forwards low to the ground and packed tightly together, are the hardest instances for the referee to see exactly what he needs to in the short time he has to make a decision.By taking the decision out of his hands and allowing the video technology to more closely track the ball in conjunction with the goal line and surface, it has been much easier to either award a try or reward a defence who've successfully held up the ball. In the past, these decisions were reliant on nothing more than the naked eye and educated guesswork. The margin for error has been greatly reduced.READ MORE: Talking Rugby and the Haka with a Maori Cultural Expert
The Television Match Official looks on during New Zealand's pool stage match with Namibia | PA Images
A decision that was apparently 18-months in the making, with plenty of youth games and tournaments used as trial subjects, the technology was also said to help in the identification and management of head injuries, making sure that concussion mismanagement didn't become an unwelcome sub-plot of the tournament. Players, usually the first to complain if denied entry back on to the field, can now be shown precise footage of why exactly the medical team have decided against allowing them to re-join the game.This, clearly, is far from the last we'll hear about the advancement of video technology in rugby. Its future might actually be the most interesting branch away from what is currently in place, with whispers online about the adoption of x-ray-like technology providing one of the more exciting rumours for what is still in store. For the decisions that even Hawk-Eye can't give a clear picture of through piles of bodies – properly grounded tries, feet in touch obscured by the grasp of defenders – the future of the industry could be about to find the solution.READ MORE: The Rugby World Cup's Key Venues
|
Bernard Foley prepares to kick what would prove to be the winning penalty | PA Images
The oft repeated, world famous footage of John McEnroe at Wimbledon in 1981 may not have ever occurred had Hawk-Eye been available at the time, with the tennis legend spared a lifetime of people bellowing "you cannot be serious!" at him in the street. So iconic that McEnroe named his own autobiography after the outburst, technology could've made the correct call on one of sport's most memorable moments right there and then.READ MORE: Talking Rugby and the Haka with a Maori Cultural Expert
The Television Match Official looks on during New Zealand's pool stage match with Namibia | PA Images
A decision that was apparently 18-months in the making, with plenty of youth games and tournaments used as trial subjects, the technology was also said to help in the identification and management of head injuries, making sure that concussion mismanagement didn't become an unwelcome sub-plot of the tournament. Players, usually the first to complain if denied entry back on to the field, can now be shown precise footage of why exactly the medical team have decided against allowing them to re-join the game.This, clearly, is far from the last we'll hear about the advancement of video technology in rugby. Its future might actually be the most interesting branch away from what is currently in place, with whispers online about the adoption of x-ray-like technology providing one of the more exciting rumours for what is still in store. For the decisions that even Hawk-Eye can't give a clear picture of through piles of bodies – properly grounded tries, feet in touch obscured by the grasp of defenders – the future of the industry could be about to find the solution.Rugby officials get more right than wrong these days thanks to the advancement in video technology, both in terms of on-field game decisions and matters of player welfare. That said, nothing is perfect, and the door is still ajar to human error creeping in – all one has to do is ask a Scotsman about that.However, the longer the sport continues working in tandem with those pioneering the newest in technology the better, as both parties will push one another on to new heights.READ MORE: The Rugby World Cup's Key Venues
For more information on Beats by Dr. Dre visit beatsbydre.com