First XV rugby: Westlake Boys’ High School using smart mouthguard technology to track head knocks

Westlake Boys' High School's first XV are using smart mouthguards this season. Photo / file

The opportunity to gather more information about head knocks in rugby through new technology has hit schoolboy level.

Westlake Boys’ High School’s first XV are using smart mouthguards seen in the professional game this season in training and games, becoming the first New Zealand school to do so.

It’s a decision headmaster David Ferguson told the Herald was “a no-brainer” when approached by Prevent Biometrics, the company behind the technology, about trialling the technology.

“I suspect it’s the start of something that we’re going to see a lot more of. It just makes sense,” Ferguson said.

“It can only help. The more information we’ve got the better. I think rugby’s responded well over the last few years to the growing concerns around concussion.

“The boys are used to referees now, if they’re concerned about them, calling on the medical staff from our coaching team and then doing assessments on field.

“We’re pretty familiar with responding to concerns around concussion, but to be able to use technology to inform that decision-making process can only be a good thing.”

The technology allows them to look at the data around collisions after the game, with timestamps and an indication of which part of the athlete’s head took the impact.

They can then look back through their footage of the game to find the exact moment and analyse what happened.

This differs to the professional game, where data is sent to a tablet on the sideline live and the team can react accordingly.

Westlake coach Rob Mildenhall told the Herald the data allows them to dissect the load in terms of contact on each player and from there assess what preventative steps need to be taken to manage that load throughout the season.

“In terms of what we’ve learned, the mechanisms of the injuries have all been pretty standard; jackling, players being tackled high or getting their tackle technique wrong have resulted in concussion. That’s nothing new, and it’s reinforced how important it is to have that good technique in those areas,” Mildenhall said.

“We are very, very cautious around head knocks. That’s something that you don’t take lightly. With that, I suppose it was subjective in the past, and now we actually have data to back it up. So, when a boy has taken a knock, we’re able to show how significant it was.

“I think rugby in general has done a really good job around head knocks and if there is anything, the boys have to do that 23-day stand down. I think that just prevents anything tragic from happening.”

It’s an area in which the athletes themselves have had plenty of interest too, Mildenhall said.

Over the past few years there have been plenty of stories about players retiring from contact sports due to concussion as well as an increased conversation around the risks of CTE and other issues later in life.

“It is spoken about and I think it is front and centre of a lot of people’s minds, including parents. Boys, they love rugby, they want to play rugby but they want to be safe and I do think that it is front and centre,” Mildenhall said.

“If you ask the boys what’s fun, it’s actually playing rugby. When you ask about this, it’s they want to play, and if they can do anything to prolong their careers - not just prolong their careers but also stay on the field and stay fit and healthy, they want to do it.”

Christopher Reive joined the Herald sports team in 2017, bringing the same versatility to his coverage as he does to his sports viewing habits.