The Rugby Football Union (RFU) has appointed Capgemini as its digital transformation partner as it sets out on a four-year strategy to grow the sport’s reach.
A key part of the plan is to reach new audiences through digital platforms, with an ambition to add 500,000 “passionate fans” for national teams.
The organisation’s Plan 2030: More than a game programme involves four pillars: Play, Perform, Follow and Fund. Its goal is to “grow the game, enrich lives and ensure rugby continues to thrive at every level across the country”.
Digital platforms are being used by sporting organisations to increase fan engagement, and will be central to meeting the RFU targets for its Follow pillar.
“In an increasingly competitive sport and entertainment landscape, the strategy recognises the need to deepen connections with existing supporters while reaching new audiences and targets an addition of 500,000 passionate fans of our national teams (from a base of 5.2 million currently),” the RFU said when announcing Plan 2030 in January. “By telling compelling stories, evolving matchday experiences and investing in world-class digital content, England Rugby aims to grow and diversify its fanbase, turning interest into long-term loyalty.
“Capgemini will support the RFU with its transformation strategy by leading the day-to-day running and evolution of its digital services to meet the RFU’s Plan 2030: More than a game ambitions,” said the RFU.
As Digital Transformation Partner in the UK, Capgemini will encompass taking charge of digital systems that touch fans, players and volunteers.
The RFU said: “Building on the strong foundations of the RFU’s Digital Transformation programme, Capgemini will optimise and enhance core platforms, tools and capabilities to improve reliability, performance and user experience. Through structured innovation cycles, Capgemini will also introduce new ways of working, applying emerging technologies, data and AI to generate fresh ideas and scale innovation from grassroots to the elite game.”
Claudio Borges, executive director of commercial and marketing at the RFU, said: “Our partnership with Capgemini means we can accelerate digital transformation at all levels of the game. We want our sport to be accessible, engaging and innovative, and this partnership amplifies this. We aim to continually evolve, and, with the help of Capgemini, we will be able to do so effectively.”
Separately, Capgemini developed a system called TryZone IQ for the Women’s Rugby World Cup last year. The generative AI (GenAI) technology supports commentary teams by providing real-time match analysis and contextual insights during live broadcasts. Capgemini claimed this was the first-ever use of GenAI at a Rugby World Cup.
In collaboration with World Rugby and sports data provider Opta, the supplier said it studied fan behaviour and preferences to shape features that convert raw data into concise narratives.
The application, which was used by broadcast media during the tournament, brings together historic and live match data, which is updated minute-by-minute in what Capgemini describes as a GenAI engine – but there is also a “human in the loop” element to what is then broadcast in an editorial workflow.
Rugby analysts select and refine the data, ensuring it is not out of line with common-sense analysis of the game. These insights can be used to support live commentary or integrated across digital platforms and social channels, adding context to what viewers and consumers of social media are seeing.