A little gem of technology to accompany the XV of France and that of Clover at the opening of the VI Nations Tournament. The Blues who face Ireland on Friday evening, their first match since their elimination in the quarter-final of the World Cup against South Africa (28-29), will be equipped, like their opponents, with a protector -connected teeth which should help detect concussions, which could escape the vigilance of doctors.
Made to measure, with an impression taken for each player and integrated Bluetooth, each mouthguard costs 250 euros, partly financed by World Rugby which has invested nearly a million euros to support federations and clubs. But this novelty does not only make the Blues happy, far from it.
“I would have preferred that we offered it to volunteers”
“It’s a little complicated. It’s a little difficult to get used to. They’re a little bigger, there’s the chip which is a little big in the mouth. But you have to get used to it”, declared second row Romain Taofifenua. However, it is this chip which will collect the data and alert the medical teams in real time in case of doubt, in order to trigger the famous concussion protocol. But for Toulouse full-back Thomas Ramos, the problem goes much further.
“Something is being imposed on us, it’s a shame. I would have preferred that we offered it to volunteers. It’s tailor-made. They took our fingerprints, but some have habits, mouth guards that go to the back of the mouth, others don’t, some don’t wear one… In a match, it’s annoying to think that a mouthguard can bother you when you have other things to think about “, regrets number 15 of the Blues.
Not sure that these complaints will change World Rugby. Based on scientific studies and expert opinions, the body pointed out at the beginning of the month the need to reduce the jolts that players experience to the head. “That’s exactly what we do,” assures its chief physician Eanna Falvey.