Super Rugby Pacific has advised temporary changes to the Instrumented Mouthguard (iMG) process after some technical issues during last weekend’s opening round of matches.
Players will continue to wear the iMGs this weekend but will not be required to immediately leave the field for an HIA when their mouthguard triggers an alert to pitch-side doctors.
Instead, players will be checked by an on-field doctor after a trigger alert has been received. If the doctor has any concerns the player will then leave the field for an HIA. If the player passes an on-field check, they will still be subject to a full HIA, either at half-time or full-time.
World Rugby will run further trials in round three of Super Rugby Pacific to test improvements to the data-transfer process, with a view to reinstating iMG alert protocols once these issues are fully resolved.
Players will continue to wear iMGs in training and matches and all trigger alerts measuring an impact above 75g will be managed by medical teams to protect player welfare.
The existing HIA protocols have not been affected and the Match Day Doctor still has the power to unilaterally remove any injured player for HIA assessment, or to remove a player from the game if necessary.
Player safety remains the top priority for World Rugby, SANZAAR and the Super Rugby Pacific competition, and there is a shared understanding between all stakeholders that iMGs are a key technology for the game moving forward.
