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How do you protect the Rugby World Cup? IoT.

The story of how an Irish IoT company helped keep a priceless trophy safe during its tour around South Africa.

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PARIS, FRANCE – October 28, 2023, South Africa are crowned Rugby World Cup Champions after beating New Zealand by a single point in a nail-biting final. In doing so, the Springboks secured their fourth title, cementing their status as the most successful men’s team in the tournament’s history.

As the final whistle went, South Africa erupted in celebration, and tens of thousands flooded the streets of Pretoria, Johannesburg, and Cape Town.

The Springboks Trophy Tour

Upon arriving home with the cup, the Springboks set out on a four-day tour across the country. Starting in Pretoria on Thursday, they travelled to Johannesburg and Soweto before flying to Cape Town on Friday, Durban on Saturday, and finally to East London on Sunday. 

In each region, the team travelled in an open-top bus along routes packed with thousands of fans eager to get a glimpse of their champions and the famous cup. 

 

Captain Siya Kolisi holding the Webb Ellis Cup. Credit: governmentza via Flickr, used under a Creative Commons license.

The William Webb Ellis Cup

Twenty nations battle it out every four years to lift the William Webb Ellis Cup, named after the man credited with founding the sport. 

There are two actually Webb Ellis Cups. The original trophy, made by Carrington and Co. of London, dates back to 1906, while a replica was made for the first Rugby World Cup in 1987. 

It stands 38 centimetres tall, weighs 4.5 kg, is made of gilded silver, and has two cast scroll handles. It is an impressive and valuable piece of silverware even before we take its history and meaning into account. 

Many famous stories exist of other priceless trophies going missing or, worse yet, being melted down! So, how do you keep a trophy like that safe while still allowing the team to celebrate their hard-fought win with their fans? That was the task assigned to the security company appointed to protect the trophy.

The answer? IoT. 

How to track a trophy with IoT

In the last week of October, we received a request to track a highly valuable asset that was arriving in South Africa in just a few days, so we had to act fast!

Thankfully, the Davra Platform makes building IoT applications easy. Powerful no-code features speed up tasks such as onboarding a device, getting data flowing, and creating a dashboard to view your data and track the asset in real time. Working with IoTdc, our partner in South Africa, the team at Davra got on the case and had a working solution in just a few hours. 

By mounting a discreet Sigfox device to the trophy and collecting the resulting data into Davra’s application, we could track it in real-time on its journey around South Africa using IoT.

That meant the players could enjoy the celebrations with their fans, unencumbered by overly protective security. At the same time, the security team could relax, safe in the knowledge that the trophy’s location was “visible” at all times.

We also developed a dedicated app to view the trophy’s journey in real-time, providing fans with an immersive experience of the Cup’s travels.

How does an IoT device work? 

Sigfox devices use a proprietary, low-power wide-area network (LPWAN) technology, enabling efficient and cost-effective communication between devices and the cloud. 

With its global network coverage and standardised communication protocol, Sigfox has become popular for organisations seeking scalable and reliable IoT connectivity solutions.

The VisioTrack Nano is an example of such a device. The unit is fully battery-operated and transmits tiny packets of data over long distances through Sigfox-compliant radio networks. They are ideal for applications that require low energy consumption, long battery life and need to operate in remote regions. The rugged, compact design makes it easy to conceal while protecting it from harsh environments.

The perfect choice for mounting an inconspicuous device to a priceless trophy!

A VisioTrack Nano Sigfox-enabled transceiver. Credit: visiosoft.co.za.

It provides long-range location and sensor data through Sigfox-compliant radio networks. Fully battery-operated, the device can last up to 5 years, using very little power. 

Congratulations to the Springboks on a well-earned victory. Sadly, this is the closest these Irish Rugby fans will get to a trophy for at least another four years.

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Industrial IoT is reshaping how businesses operate, optimising systems, and creating new, data-driven services. Contact us today to see how the Davra Platform can help transform your business.

About Davra

Davra is an Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) platform and solutions company helping enterprises and equipment manufacturers develop, deploy, and manage their IoT applications with ease.

About IoTdc

IoTdc is a Johannesburg-based company specialising in providing IoT solutions across various industries. Their solutions optimise performance, efficiency, and safety through digital transformation. For more information, visit https://www.iotdc.co.za.

Headline image: The William Webb Ellis Cup. Credit bcgovphotos/Flickr, used under a Creative Commons license.