In collaboration with Prevent Biometrics, World Rugby has delivered the world’s first globally mandated instrumented “smart” mouthguard system (iMG), transforming head-impact management in sport.
The latest generation, introduced for the Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025, features an embedded LED light that flashes red when a high-magnitude impact exceeds the threshold visible to medics, referees, teammates, and fans.

Each mouthguard transmits real-time data via Bluetooth to the medical team, automatically triggering a Head Injury Assessment (HIA) when a significant head impact has been registered . Following extensive lab and field validation the system has been adopted across elite competitions using the Head Injury Assessment since 2024 and supported by a €2 million global investment fund.

Beyond injury detection, the initiative forms the foundation of a long-term player-health framework, using head-acceleration and “brain-strain” data to manage load, optimise technique, and model lifelong brain-health outcomes.