O2 Matchday iOS app for rugby fans

Rugby fans watching the England v France game on TV this Saturday (17.00 GMT kick-off, live on BBC 1 in the UK) will be able to listen to the match officials as well as the broadcast commentary, thanks to a new iOS app from mobile phone company and RFU sponsor O2. O2 Matchday, which can be downloaded to any iOS device in the UK, is provided by Ref!Link, the company that sells radios to match spectators. The app will not be available to spectators inside Twickenham.

The press release ahead of the launch encourages those who can get access to the app to start using it well before kick-off time to:

“get a match preview, find out how the teams line up head to head, which players to watch out for, and to get more information on the man officiating. Swot up on the referee before he’s even blown the first whistle, and then using Ref!Link hear every decision he makes.”

and enjoy the full benefits hearing exactly what a top-class rugby referee is saying throughout those 80 minutes:

“Live text commentary is streamed in from Twickenham, providing an insightful and alternative view of the game from our man at the match, with a social feed that tracks what the rugby commentators have to say about the match in progress.

The app also holds a mirror up to one of the most difficult man management jobs in the world. Hearing a rugby referee at work will reveal the skills and tactics involved in co-ordinating the fairest and most entertaining game of rugby.”

O2 are keen to receive viewer feedback, so if you do download and use O2 Matchday, perhaps you’d like to respond to these five questions:

1. How would you rate the overall app experience? (Poor 1 – 5 Very Good)
2. What did you think of the Ref! Link feature? (Poor 1 – 5 Very Good)
3. What additional features would you like to see in the app?
4. Are there any improvements you would make to the current app?
5. Do you have any additional comments about the app?

and send your answers via this O2 Community page?

An Android app is in development. In the meantime, O2 recommended using Wifi rather than 3G for the current app. The service will next be used on 10 March, when England will host Italy.