Advanced video analytics gives elite sport a performance boost
Looking for greater insights from training sessions to extend its competitive edge, Bristol Bears Rugby turned to Axis partner AnalysisPro to create an innovative sports analysis system using network video.
Video analysis in sport - a key for success
In elite sport, tiny margins matter. At the highest levels of Premiership Rugby, metrics pooled from training sessions such as the distances kicked, speed and accuracy of passing, or turnovers won enable incremental gains that mean the difference between winning and losing at league games.
But for Bristol Bears Rugby, analyzing team performance in training sessions had become a logistical and technical headache. “We literally had to take our cameras and stand on top of a shipping container at the edge of the pitch,” recalls Ben Duffield, head of Bristol Bears’ Performance Analysis team. “We had tall tripods which we had to wheel out and pack away, and success was all very dependent on the weather and lighting conditions.”
To deliver the team’s training field activities to the coach’s office, analysts were forced to overcome several technological hurdles. The existing cameras frequently lost focus or missed key moments. Footage had to be manually transferred on SD cards, compiled by hand, and required extensive and time-consuming manual coding to synchronise. All while the club was pushing for more: better angles, faster turnaround, and sharper insights. The old tools simply couldn’t keep up.
Rebuilding the sport analysis system with IP cameras
When the time came for the club to move its training activities to its purpose-built, state-of-the-art High Performance Centre, it was clear that a high-quality camera setup would play a key role.
“Our head coach loves analysis, he loves filming absolutely everything,” says Ben. “When we were setting up the new training facility, we sat down and considered what we’d do if we were rebuilding our analysis system from scratch – and with the rise of IP camera technology, we knew that was the way to go.”
Camera technology for sports science applications
Bristol Bears Rugby approached AnalysisPro, a company well-versed in the application of Axis Communications camera technology for sports science applications, to provide a solution.
Josh Bryan, AnalysisPro General Manager, explains: “The team contacted us and came to look at our installation at Cardiff Metropolitan University, where we’d put Axis cameras and our AP Capture software system in place to monitor their multi-sports facility. That gave them an idea of what was possible, and we built a proposal based on that.”
High quality video ensures tactical precision
“High quality video is vital,” continues Josh, “because video is central to everything Ben and his team do. They need training and match footage to deliver the right feedback to players and coaches. One of the biggest things was the positioning of the cameras – the height and depth away from the field in order to get a full view of the pitch, while still allowing access to maintain the hardware.”
With this in mind, AnalysisPro’s solution delivers optimal coverage across the High Performance Centre.
Bristol Bears' video analysis system
Four Axis cameras capture the two outdoor pitches, a pair cover the indoor pitch, and drone footage is used to complement the fixed camera views when weather conditions allow.
But coverage alone wasn’t enough: the club also needed precision, flexibility, and full control, things its old systems couldn’t deliver. Each angle has a specific tactical purpose, allowing coaches and players to break down play from multiple viewpoints and apply tailored feedback. Pan-tilt-zoom (PTZ) functionality to lock in on particular drills was a must, and with the team’s previous solution proving so unreliable, Ben and his team had to be able to take full control.
Axis cameras were an obvious choice. They deliver smooth PTZ movement and, most importantly, high quality footage.
Pinpoint control in all conditions with a joystick
“There might be different areas of the pitch which are areas of interest,” explains Josh. “Bristol Bears needed joystick control to be able to move the camera quickly or slowly as well as zooming and panning to focus on what matters. When we first created the AP Capture platform, Axis cameras and joysticks were an obvious choice. They deliver smooth PTZ movement and, most importantly, high quality footage.”
Ben agrees: “British weather means outdoor training can be challenging. But even when coaches are wrapped up in waterproofs and can’t really see anything in person, the cameras always deliver solid, detailed footage."
AP Capture, thanks to the networked nature of Axis cameras, breaks down a key barrier from the manual system that Bristol Bears once relied on. It delivers video directly to the performance analysis team while the players train, allowing the immediate creation of a fully-synchronized package for feedback to coaching staff. Ben praises the system’s flexibility and speed.
From footage to feedback in minutes
“At the end of the session, because we’ve already coded the footage, the package is ready to go. It’s only a couple of minutes’ work, all done indoors. Previously, everyone was outside, and you’d have to come in and spend an hour putting everything together. It opens up more time to actually be an analyst and makes it so much easier to get things done quickly. The footage is on the coach’s laptop straight away, which gives us time to really dig into what matters,” concludes Ben.
That immediate access has changed how the team uses video in real time. If a coach wants to review a drill just minutes after it ends, the footage is ready and waiting. No delays, no patchy files, no syncing issues.
The performance team can quickly clip, annotate, and review key moments with players in the same session they were recorded rather than waiting until the next day. It’s not just about efficiency, it’s about closing the gap between action and insight, creating feedback loops that make every training session more impactful.
The footage is on the coach’s laptop straight away, which gives us time to really dig into what matters.
Built for performance, ready for the future
Axis cameras have been in use at the High Performance Centre since its opening in mid-2020; five seasons on, the staff is now keen to work with AnalysisPro to expand its installation with additional Axis cameras, allowing analysts to capture more angles and give coaches new options, all while maintaining the efficiency of the current system.
What began as a way to modernize filming of training sessions has become a vital part of Bristol Bears’ competitive advantage.
From shipping containers and weather-worn tripods to instant, multi-angle video delivery, the difference is clear. With Axis cameras and AnalysisPro’s AP Capture platform, the team now benefits from elite-level analysis tools, and a system that’s ready to grow with the demands of high-performance sport.
As Bristol Bears Rugby continues to evolve on and off the pitch, the team’s investment in video is a game-changing advantage built for the future.
Products & solutions
