Cape Town - Vodacom Super 14 matches at FIFA World Cup venues will use advanced television technology as part of an agreement between rugby and soccer authorities to assist pitch management.

On-field branding will be digitally ‘projected’ onto the television image as the result of a co-operation between SARU, broadcaster SuperSport and sponsor Vodacom. The Vodacom Bulls’ home match with the Highlanders at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday will be the first match to apply the technology.

“I received a request from the FIFA LOC (Local Organising Committee) to assist them by removing on-field advertising in Vodacom Super 14 matches at World Cup venues as they were concerned about the damage it might cause to the playing surface,” said Oregan Hoskins, president of the South African Rugby Union.

“My immediate response was that we would do everything in our power to help the LOC and as a result of that, together with our sponsor Vodacom and SuperSport, we have been able to come up with a solution.”

The system will be in operation at Coca-Cola Park and Vodacom Park as well as Loftus – venues for FIFA World Cup matches – but television viewers should notice minimal differences in the appearance of the branding. However, those who attend matches will experience the novelty of a ‘clean’ field. All five branded areas on the field will be projected onto the television coverage.

The technology is already in use in sporting codes overseas – where onfield branding is forbidden in some sports – but this is the first time it will have been used in South Africa. The Absa Stadium Durban and Newlands in Cape Town are unaffected by the change.

“There has been a lot of hard work at short notice and I’d like to thank Vodacom and SuperSport for their support,” said Hoskins. “We are fully behind our friends at soccer and we hope this assistance will help them deliver the ideal World Cup.”