Rugby Australia has renewed its agreement with the company that sells wearable devices that monitor players’ performance.

Catapult Group International's tracking technology will be used by all Australian representative teams, Super Rugby franchises, academies and match officials, according to a Catapult statement.

The new agreement covers use of its technology by senior men’s and women’s international squads, junior Wallabies, Australian U18s and Rugby Sevens squads.

The Brumbies, Rebels, Waratahs and Reds’ men’s, women’s and academy squads will also use the technology, according to Catapult.

Players will wear Catapult’s 53g Vector device with a special vest that has conductive materials to help measure their heart rates. The device also has an accelerometer, gyroscope and magnetometer.

The device communicates with sensors placed around a playing area and with satellites.

The Wallabies wore the Vector devices during their 2019 Rugby World Cup campaign. 

Catapult has also worked with international rugby organisations to develop rugby-specific algorithms. These can be used to detect scrums, kicks, contact and time to return to play following contact.

Catapult was formed a partnership between the Australian Institute of Sport and Cooperative Research Centres to maximise the performance of Australian athletes ahead of the Sydney Olympics, its web site states.

The comapny first signed a contract with the Wallabies in 2006.