Vodafone combines 5G and haptics to let rugby players 100 miles apart tackle each other
This is just one example of how 5G will let us work and play in new ways, and it's just the beginning.
Key takeaways
- Vodafone showed off several demos of its new 5G network in London the other week, but the main one was somewhat bizarre with a world-first demonstration of the power of 5G to transmit touch using haptic technology.
- Professional rugby players from Wasps Rugby took part in the stunt in which Juan De Jongh instantaneously felt the impact of a rugby tackle made by Will Rowlands that was made over 100 miles away at the Ricoh Stadium in Coventry.
- Watch the world's first remote rugby tackle This electro-stimulation improves the learning experience by increasing immersion, fostering 360-degree awareness and engaging muscle memory.
Cite or link to this article
Griffin, M. (2019) 'Vodafone combines 5G and haptics to let rugby players 100 miles apart tackle each other', 311 Institute, 21 September. Available at: https://www.311institute.com/vodafone-couples-5g-with-haptics-to-let-rugby-players-100-miles-apart-tackle-each-other/ (Accessed: 1 October 2026).
Vodafone showed off several demos of its new 5G network in London the other week, but the main one was somewhat bizarre with a world-first demonstration of the power of 5G to transmit touch using haptic technology.
Professional rugby players from Wasps Rugby took part in the stunt in which Juan De Jongh instantaneously felt the impact of a rugby tackle made by Will Rowlands that was made over 100 miles away at the Ricoh Stadium in Coventry. He tackled a padded cylinder containing sensors which you can see in the video.
De Jongh wore a Teslasuit, a full immersion haptic suit that I’ve talked about before, for the demonstration, and the suit was able to simulate the feeling of the tackle through a full body haptic feedback system that provides sensation.
This electro-stimulation improves the learning experience by increasing immersion, fostering 360-degree awareness and engaging muscle memory.
Before the live demo but after practice, De Jongh said: “I’ve never experienced anything like this. It felt like something from the Matrix. This technology could not only help athletes to train, but to get back into training after injury.”
And that’s just the beginning, so will we one day be playing virtual rugby across the world with one another? Well, there’s no reason why not.
FAQ
Why does this matter?
This is just one example of how 5G will let us work and play in new ways, and it's just the beginning.
About the author
Matthew Griffin Founder, 311 Institute
Matthew Griffin is a multi-award winning Futurist and expert in Disruption and Innovation, Geopolitics, Leadership, and Technology, who NASA have described as a "walking encyclopaedia of the future" and a "futurist Polymath."
Read full bio
Matthew Griffin is a multi-award winning Futurist and expert in Disruption and Innovation, Geopolitics, Leadership, and Technology, who NASA have described as a "walking encyclopaedia of the future" and a "futurist Polymath." 15-time best selling author of the "Codex of the Future" series, Matthew is the Founder and Futurist in Chief of the 311 Institute, a global Futures and Deep Futures advisory firm working with royal households, world leaders, G7, G20, and G77 governments, NGOs, and multi-national mid and mega cap firms to help them explore, shape, and lead the next 50 years of business and society.
An award-winning YouTube creator with over a million followers, with an unrivalled global reach and impact, Matthew is a highly sought-after international keynote speaker, lecturer, and mentor who collaborates with global leaders through the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) and United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) to shape pivotal initiatives such as the UN’s AI for Humanity program, the United Nations Conference of the Parties (UN COP), and the World Economic Forum in Davos.
As the former Global Head of Cloud, National Security, and Enterprise Sales for companies including Atos, Dell-EMC, and IBM, Matthew has a proven track record of building multi-billion dollar business units and turning failing divisions into market leaders. His ability to identify, analyse, and communicate the implications of hundreds of emerging technologies and trends is unparalleled, and his insights are trusted by many of the world’s most respected organisations, including ABB, Accenture, Adidas, AON, ARM, BCG, Centrica, Citi, Coca-Cola, Dentons, Deloitte, Dow Jones, EY, Google, KPMG, Lego, Legal & General, LinkedIn, Microsoft, PepsiCo, Qualcomm, RWE, Samsung, Siemens AG and Siemens Energy, T-Mobile, UBS, VISA, Walmart, Workday, Worldpay and many others.
Regularly featured in the global media including the AP, BBC, Bloomberg, CNBC, Discovery, Forbes, Khaleej Times, Telegraph, TIME, ViacomCBS, WIRED, and the WSJ, Matthews mission is to help organisations create a fair and sustainable future whose benefits are shared by everyone irrespective of their ability, background, or circumstances.
What future do you need to see?
Choose one to get started on virtual worlds and the future of your organisation.
Sources and further reading
- The suit teslasuit.io
Source: first published by the 311 Institute on 21 September 2019. Cite as: Griffin, M. (2019). Vodafone combines 5G and haptics to let rugby players 100 miles apart tackle each other. 311 Institute. https://www.311institute.com/vodafone-couples-5g-with-haptics-to-let-rugby-players-100-miles-apart-tackle-each-other/
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