How an elite rugby programme runs Prevent on match day

Rugby moves fast, and so does the head-injury assessment window. For a programme running instrumented mouthguards across a full squad, the value isn't in any single gadget - it's in a workflow that turns raw impacts into a sideline decision before the next restart. Here's how a typical match day flows.

Before kickoff: charged and assigned

Every guard spends the night in the team charging case - a single hard case that charges, sanitizes and syncs the whole squad's devices at once. On arrival, staff confirm each iMG is full, paired to its athlete, and reporting in. No loose chargers, no guessing which guard belongs to whom.

In play: alerts in real time

During the match, each mouthguard streams head impacts live. When an event crosses a configured threshold, an alert reaches the medical team's device within seconds - flagging a player who experienced a high-acceleration event but may not show symptoms or have been caught on camera. That player can be pulled for assessment on evidence, not just on what the sideline happened to see.

Into the HIA: evidence, not replacement

The data feeds the head injury assessment as one objective input alongside clinical judgment. Governing bodies have moved deliberately here - World Rugby now incorporates validated IMG data into its on-field HIA process precisely because the measurement is independent and defensible. The mouthguard doesn't diagnose; it tells the doctor where to look.

After the whistle: review and load

Post-match, staff open the web data portal and review the session: who absorbed what, which positions trended high, how the day compares to each athlete's baseline. That feeds the week's training load and contact planning - closing the loop from a live alert back into how the squad prepares for the next fixture.

Charge overnight, alert in real time, assess on evidence, review in the morning. One connected system, no manual workflow - protecting the life-changing benefit of sport.