IRFU Announce Partnership With STATSports
The IRFU have agreed a deal with the Newry-based company STATSports to provide GPS tracking and performance monitoring technology for every senior professional rugby player on the island of Ireland.
The sports technology firm will supply the Ireland Men’s, Women’s, Under-20 and representative teams, as well as the national Sevens squads, with its revolutionary Apex device which tracks players during games and training, and provides actionable feedback to coaching, athletic performance, and medical staff. STATSports will now also supply the technology to all four Irish provinces.
Connacht and Ulster were already using the system but now Leinster and Munster have been added to ensure the integrity of the data collated within Irish Rugby.
Nick Winkelman, the IRFU’s Head of Performance & Science, said: “We are delighted to have STATSports as the official provider of GPS player tracking devices for Irish Rugby. Having tested existing solutions on the market, it was clear that STATSports was a world-class business with a world-leading performance analysis solution in the APEX unit.
“In high performance sport, and particularly in an environment where player welfare is a key priority, it is a necessity for our provinces and representative teams to have access to quality data that can inform and shape performance, recovery and injury prevention.”
Jonny Davis, Head of Athletic Performance at Ulster Rugby, commented: “As STATSports’ oldest client, Ulster Rugby was an early adaptor to the use of GPS technology. I am delighted that the long-standing relationship with Ulster Rugby is able to continue through the central contract that the IRFU has put in place with STATSports.
“For the first time, all four provinces will be using the same system to enable the power of four for the benefit of the national team at all representative levels. STATSports Apex hardware and software is the gold standard and unparalleled in the world of GPS Technology for accuracy of the data it provides.”
STATSports CCO and co-founder Sean O’Connor added: “Having all four provinces using our revolutionary Apex device is huge for us at STATSports. We are proud to offer a world class product to not only the national team but all four provincial teams throughout Ireland, who compete at the highest level of club rugby in Europe. Plus, with STATSports being founded in the island of Ireland, it is even more significant.”
STATSports has become the world’s leading provider of GPS player tracking and analysis solutions by partnering with some of the biggest sports franchises in the world and delivering an innovative performance monitoring device that is worn by athletes during training and matches to collect detailed data on their physical performance in the context of their sport.