Smart approach to rugby player welfare
10 Feb 2026
In a first for schoolboy rugby, smart mouthguards will be mandatory across all Christ’s College teams this season, delivering on-field alerts to monitor and manage head knocks.
College Director of Rugby and Assistant Sports Director Simon Mulholland says the move underlines the school’s “commitment to player safety and stronger welfare measures".
“Christ’s College Rugby will expand the use of Prevent Biometrics impact sensor mouthguards across the entire rugby programme, in what represents a world-leading move in school rugby,” he says.
Following the successful introduction of the mouthguards for the Colts team last season, “the smart mouthguard technology will be mandatory for all players”.
“We need to take progressive steps and act decisively to better protect young players,” Simon says. “Player safety remains central to everything we do within our rugby programme, and this initiative marks an important step in how we monitor, understand, and manage head impacts in the game we love.”
The mouthguards are designed for contact sports, and worn like a normal, custom-fitted mouthguard during training and matches. They contain sensors that record the frequency and magnitude of head impacts, with the data securely transmitted to a digital platform. This information can be reviewed by designated staff during play and post-game, supporting decisions regarding player welfare.
“By adopting this system, Christ’s College remains at the forefront of player safety and performance, using evidence-informed tools to support best practice,” Simon points out. “The mouthguards act as an additional layer of protection, helping to identify potentially concerning impacts and ensuring players receive appropriate attention when required.”
