The videoReferee®-SR system was installed at a match of the European Rugby Championship between Russia and Georgia in Kaliningrad. Kёnig.TV, the TV company which covered the match for the Russian national sports channel Match.TV, also used the Arrow server for replays of the most exciting game moments.
At the European Rugby Championship match between Russia and Georgia in Kaliningrad on March 20, 2021, the compact mobile video-refereeing system videoReferee®-SR was deployed. With its small size, suitable for standard carry-on luggage, videoReferee®-SR is a full-featured refereeing solution for 8 3G/HD cameras.
With vast experience in video-refereeing of different sports, slomo.tv has adapted videoReferee® systems to work at Rugby Union, Rugby League and other rugby competitions. The system's high-performance interface is designed to quickly prepare video material for a review and replay from any camera with adjustable playback speed.
The communication between the on-field referee and the video referee is via a specialized secure radio communication system. videoReferee® systems can be integrated with a referee intercom to activate the radio channel and record the conversation therefore ensuring transparency of the decision-making process.
The broadcast of the match with replays of the best game moments was made by the professional team of Kёnig.TV, which used the slomo.tv's Arrow server to broadcast video from 6 cameras and quickly prepare a playlist with the highlights of the game.
Rugby is one of the first sports to implement the video-refereeing technology to help the referee on the field with complex game moments. Rugby is incredibly combative and full of physical confrontations. On top of that, there are 30 players on the field at the same time. For these reasons, refereeing in rugby is considerably more difficult compared to other team sports.
Video-refereeing in rugby is similar to VAR technology in football. Should a difficult-to-judge game moment occur, the on-field referee gives his decision, after which he can request the video referee for advice and a review of the moment to ensure that the decision is correct. The main moments where the video-referee is involved are try and kick at goal. As in football, the video-referee does not make the final decision, but informs the referee what happened on the field, and may initiate a review of the moment.
