World Rugby launches biometric fan study as coaches discuss refereeing concerns

World Rugby has launched a study using biometric sensors to examine what excites supporters during matches, as the governing body develops its plans for a safer game with fewer interruptions. BBC Sport reported the initiative alongside meetings involving international coaches and match officials, with fan engagement forming part of the organisation's wider approach to the sport.

Watch the highlights: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wdlkQJl0aPc

The top 24 international head coaches met World Rugby representatives outside London before the Nations Championship resumed. According to World Rugby sources cited by the BBC, the coaches raised areas where interpretation remained unclear, including scrums, the breakdown, deliberate knock-ons and foul play during attempts to score. Those discussions preceded a separate gathering of match officials the following day.

The meetings took place against a rise in scoring across international rugby. Figures reported by the BBC showed tries increasing from six to eight per match over two years, while the number of penalties kicked declined from 3.5 in 2024 to 1.5 in 2026. The data covered Nations Championship and Nations Cup matches played in 2024, 2025 and 2026.

Despite their questions about particular decisions, the coaches were described as broadly supportive of the increased try count and longer periods with the ball in play. Refereeing sources attributed those changes to a faster game and a more consistent approach to the breakdown by both officials and players. Other senior referees said greater fatigue was creating additional space and scoring opportunities, with officials encouraged to have scrums and line-outs formed within 30 seconds.

BBC Sport attended the subsequent officials' conference, where scrum decisions, foul play and the use of the Television Match Official were prominent subjects. Former Scotland and Wales coach Jonathan Humphreys led the scrum presentation. Warren Gatland, the former Wales and British and Irish Lions head coach, also attended in his role as a World Rugby adviser.

Former New Zealand official Brendon Pickerill led discussions on foul play and the TMO's role. Pickerill was part of the refereeing team for the 2023 World Cup semi-final. The governing body's stated direction combines safety and continuity with preserving competition for possession at the breakdown and set-piece, while the biometric study is intended to add evidence about spectators' reactions.