Westlake Boys High School on Auckland's North Shore has become the first school in New Zealand to use new smart mouthguard technology full-time — playing and training.
First XV players have had the mouthguards fitted via 3D scans, and have been using the technology for the past two weeks in the new rugby season.
The "prevent" mouthguards have a chip inserted, which registers any major tackles, especially around the head area. The information is then fed instantly back to an app on a phone or an iPad.
The data will also be stored offshore, enabling it to be used during the season and after, to monitor any possible player concussions and player workload.
Westlake Boys principal David Ferguson said: "They're still young and they're still growing, so any protection we can give them around head injury in this case in particular, it's got to be a good thing."
Westlake Boys High School in Auckland is leading the way for the next generation of players. (Source: 1News)
After just two games and several trainings, Westlake coach Rob Mildenhall said they've had a few players that have had what is considered high impacts but nothing in the extremely dangerous area.
He said at the moment a lot of the big impacts have been at the breakdown, specifically on defence with defensive players jackaling over the tackled player and the ball.
"If we have the data that's where these things are happening ... we then need to adjust the way we are coaching."
First XV captain Blake Lidgard said the purchase and use of the mouthguards shows the players their school values their student welfare and well-being.
Despite top level professional players having reservations about the fit of the mouthguard, Lidgard said he can put it in and still have a normal conversation and communicate on the field.
Former Wallabies captain Stirling Mortlock is founder of the group XV Capital which is bringing the mouthguards to Australia and New Zealand.
Mortlock said: "At the elite level, there's doctors, video cameras, people being able to identify head knocks and still they're missing them sometimes. In the community game they don't have the resources to do that, this is where technology can step in."
The big challenge now, decreasing the price, from just under $300 per mouthguard.
Mortlock said they're trying to reduce the price point by 50 per cent, down from around $300. He said when they do that, every single parent should have access to them.
Super rugby teams use the same tech, but the mouthguards aren't compulsory — although if a player takes a head knock without a smart mouthguard he's taken from the field and won't return. If the player is using the technology he'll undertake a head assessment, and if he passes he'll be allowed back on.
Westlake First 15 trainer Jamie Williamson said: "It's interesting to see from the past two weeks how many impacts the players do take, and it does take you by surprise. It might not necessarily be in the areas where you think there are going be impacts."
The smart mouthguards are used extensively in European professional rugby, which like Super Rugby has had the equipment funded by World Rugby. Other contact sports are looking to introduce the mouthguards. American football's NFL is watching on to see where world rugby takes the technology next.
Otago University's Janelle Romanchuk is a concussion research scientist and helped develop early models of the mouthguard.
She said it's absolutely incredible to see Westlake implementing the new mouthguards at a schoolboy level and already seeing trends within their team and being able to recognise and potentially adjust moving forward.
Westlake Boys High is hoping other schools will follow — with player welfare, especially from a young age, paramount these days across rugby and other codes.
SHARE ME