Swansea University, in collaboration with Scarlets Rugby, has unveiled an innovative Sports Science PhD Scholarship to explore in-game statistics and their association with match outcomes in professional rugby.

This pioneering initiative represents a concerted effort to push the boundaries of sports analytics and enhance the understanding of performance dynamics within elite rugby union, particularly within the context of the United Rugby Championship (URC).

The project will review current KPIs and analyse their efficacy in predicting match outcomes. It will build and refine machine learning techniques to find latent patterns or parameters in the data to statistically predict match outcome and league position. Initially, these models will be based on legacy data from our project partner, Scarlets Rugby. This dataset comprises vast amounts of information, including individual athlete, team, strategy, and wellness data from five prior seasons. The models will be verified and refined on the legacy data test efficacy and then applied to the current URC 2024-25 season, providing valuable insights into contemporary performance trends.

The partnership between Swansea University and Scarlets Rugby represents a synergy between academic expertise and practical application, embedding NISH in a professional rugby environment. Collecting multi-channel data from a range of micro-technology devices will enable comprehensive performance assessment and training load monitoring. Ultimately, the project will oversee data quality, provenance and curation within a standardised database.

The cutting-edge facilities available at Swansea University (A-STEM labs for biomechanics and exercise physiology), and Scarlets Rugby’s load monitoring and performance analysis equipment will be used on this study.

The project stands to benefit significantly from the state-of-the-art facilities available at Swansea University – notably the A-STEM labs with capabilities in biomechanics and exercise physiology research – and Scarlets Rugby’s load monitoring and performance analysis equipment, providing a holistic framework for data collection and analysis.

In addition to its academic significance, the project holds potential to influence industry practices within Wales and beyond.

The scholarship will begin in July, and applications should be made through the link below before 15 May 2024.