Catapult wins four-year appointment with French Ligue Nationale de Rugby

Catapult is pleased to announce that the French Ligue Nationale de Rugby (LNR) has appointed the Company as the preferred supplier of technology to all teams that compete in France’s Top 14 and Pro D2 professional rugby competitions for the next four years.

Following an extensive due diligence and competitive tender process, the award was in collaboration between the LNR and the French Rugby Federation, the governing body for the sport, and the country’s national teams.

As part of the award, Catapult will support data exchange between any contracted club teams and the France national rugby union team (“Le XV de France”) in a seamless two-way data sharing process. Catapult’s proficiency in large-scale, high-security data aggregation and distribution stood out during the tender process, in addition to experienced local support staff, rugby-specific performance metrics (scrum analytics, kick analysis, contact involvement, amongst others), and the company’s rich history with scientific validation.

An LNR spokesperson said: “The Ligue Nationale de Rugby (LNR) and the Fédération Française de Rugby (FFR) are delighted with the choice of Catapult to optimise the monitoring of rugby players with a view to the 2023 World Cup. This choice follows a tender process that began in October 2019.”

Following federation-wide rugby deals in Australia, Scotland, and Wales, Catapult’s Chief Commercial Officer, Matt Bairos, continues to elevate Catapult’s ability to deliver complex, high-profile partnerships that bring long-term value to the company and its customers.

“After a lengthy tender process where our technology and people were reviewed comprehensively, it is motivating to know our level of customer obsession was a deciding factor in this award from such a world-class association. We look forward to delivering French rugby constant innovation and assisting them in their long-term strategy for player health and continued global success.”

Catapult continues to lead the market in supporting rugby athletes achieving their best performance via its wearable technology. Earlier this year Catapult introduced new rugby-specific performance metrics that are now accessible by over 20 French rugby teams in professional and development rugby union competitions.

France is the host nation for the next Rugby World Cup in 2023, marking the 200th year for rugby union as a sport, and will be a showcase for innovation and deep fan engagement. Having continuity of data across all of French rugby was a priority to help with the preparation for this tournament.

Italian Rugby’s Technological Leap Ahead of the Six Nations

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