Welsh rugby is entering a new digital era with the launch of the new bilingual Rygbi Cymru app, a pioneering platform bringing official fixtures, results, live match events, team sheets, notifications and more together in one place for players, volunteers, referees, clubs and supporters.
“Developed specifically around the needs of Welsh rugby, the app is designed to make following and running the game simpler, faster and more connected – while laying the foundations for an increasingly data-driven future for the sport,” said WRU community director, Geraint John.
“For supporters, it means being able to follow the teams and competitions they care about and receive updates almost as soon as they happen. For clubs and volunteers, it puts key matchday tools at their fingertips, including team sheets and live match reporting.
“It has been designed to be user friendly and gives everyone in rugby the opportunity to stay connected with their club from grass roots through to senior rugby and it is hoped it supports us in growing the game.”
And for the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU), it creates new opportunities to use high-quality data to support the development of the game.
Supporters and participants can view official fixtures, results and tables through the app, with results updated as soon as the referee submits them.
Teams involved in a fixture can also flag a result for review by WRU staff, helping improve the accuracy of information available to the rugby community.
Players and volunteers can also access a calendar containing their upcoming fixtures, including the appointed referees, helping them stay organised throughout the season.
One of the app’s most significant innovations is the ability for teams to capture matches as they unfold.
For the first time, teams can record live match events pitch-side, including tries, conversions, penalties, drop goals, cards and substitutions. Events are linked to players on the official team sheet, creating a record of individual performances that players can view across the season and compare with their peers.
Supporters can subscribe to notifications and follow matches remotely, receiving real-time updates wherever they are.
The data collected through the platform could also have a wider role to play in the future, including supporting the WRU’s talent identification work.
Users can follow fixtures, competitions and teams and receive instant notifications when something happens.
That includes kick-off changes, postponements, cancellations, final results and other important updates, meaning users no longer need to repeatedly check different websites or platforms to keep up with the game.
Team sheets made simple
Creating a matchday squad is designed to take just minutes.
Teams can select their players, assign positions and replacements, confirm eligibility and have their lineup ready ahead of kick-off. Referees can then view the team sheet in advance of the fixture, helping streamline preparations for matchday.
Built for matchday – even without a connection
The app has also been designed for the realities of grassroots rugby, where connectivity cannot always be guaranteed.
Selected features continue to work offline, including viewing team sheets and recording match events. Once an internet connection is restored, the information synchronises automatically.
A platform built in Wales, for Welsh rugby
The Rygbi Cymru app has been developed bespoke to the unique needs of Welsh rugby, designed and built entirely in-house by the WRU’s recently formed Digital and Data department.
It brings together multiple platforms and websites into a single, easy-to-use app. More than 120 members of the rugby community from clubs across Wales worked with the WRU to test early versions and provide feedback, with their experiences directly shaping the version being released.
WRU Solutions Architect, William Eddy, said: “We are fully committed to a roadmap of features to enhance the platform even further, including the use of cutting-edge technology such as integrations with game video systems.
“Work also continues over the coming months to bring the remaining functionality on MyWRU, such as registrations and player management, into the app.
“We will continue to build the app in direct partnership with the clubs and volunteers who use it to make this one of the best digital experiences in sport today, here in Wales.”
More functionality on the way
Registration, transfers, permits and club administration are currently managed through MyWRU, with direct links available from the app.
However, this functionality is planned to move into Rygbi Cymru over the coming months, further reducing the number of platforms clubs, players and volunteers need to use.
The WRU is also continuing to develop its roadmap, with future innovations including potential integrations with game video systems and further ways to use the data generated through the platform.
The ambition is not simply to create an app, but to build a digital foundation for Welsh rugby that continues to evolve alongside the people who use it.
Help and resources are available through the MyWRU support site, including step-by-step video guides for using the app.