Cutting edge technology tracks All Black training

Sione Lauaki wears a GPS pack at practice in Cardiff. Ross Land / Getty Images

CARDIFF - There's nowhere to run and nowhere to hide from the All Blacks' rugby trainer Graham Lowe, as the players test the latest technology which tracks their every on-field move.

Lowe, one of two strength and conditioning coaches on the current tour, has introduced the global positioning system (GPS) worn by selected players at training to monitor their work-rates.

The size of a small cellphone, the GPS is strapped between a player's shoulder blades and worn for the duration of a training session, taking a satellite reading every second.

It not only tracks how much distance he covers - which can be up to 7km in a 90-minute session - but his maximum speed and how long he maintains a certain speed.

"We're trying to understand our players so they perform better, and understand how they contribute to the team," Lowe said.

The idea came to Lowe after discovering it was used in the Australian Football League (AFL), where players cover up to 19km in a match.

Lowe, who has a masters degree in physical education, majoring in exercise physiology, felt they needed something more than video analysis.

"We've got a great understanding from our video stuff as to what happens when the players get to a place. What we're not clear about is what happens while they get there - how fast they're running, how far they're running.

"It's a big disadvantage we've had over the Europeans. Their video systems are more advanced."

Big units Sione Lauaki and Neemia Tialata were among the first to use the systems at training this week.

Lowe said, for example, it can be used to track all the loose forwards and compare the results, or to put pressure on a certain player.

The star performers at training have been flanker Richie McCaw and centre Conrad Smith.

"They were close to 30km/h maximum speed, they both ran 6-7km, and they spent 25-30 per cent of their total time above 18km/h.

"A top marathon runner runs at about 20-21km/h to complete a two-hour marathon."

For flat-out speed, wing Joe Rokocoko still leads the way, but there is one player not on tour who Lowe would most like to see wear a GPS.

"The quickest guy I've seen on a field is Rupeni Caucaunibuca, but he wasn't necessarily quicker in straight line speed. We're looking at agility, the ability to beat a person.

"His quick decision-making, sidestep and ability to beat a player were just unbelievable but if you ran him through a set of timing lights he was just quick."

Ideally, Lowe hopes to see the GPS used in a match, but the physical nature of the sport, the safety aspect and the size of each GPS unit might make it difficult to convince the International Rugby Board.

Lowe said rugby players covered between 5 and 7.5km in a typical match, compared with 10-12km in soccer and 17-19km in AFL, where they play on a bigger field.

"They don't have to deal with a massive level of contact. That's a fundamental thing we have to understand."

- NZPA