Playing surfaces and safety of players

[Strewthcobber]

At least:

Cardiff Arms Park (Blues)
Allianz Park (Saracens)
Kingston Park (Falcons)
Scotstoun (Glasgow Warriors)
Charles Mathon (Oyannax)

Have fully artificial turf.

http://playerwelfare.worldrugby.org/?documentid=155

In the "document" above on World Rugbys website, it does actually recommend artificial turf for extreme heat, albeit based on Grass Growth and multi use facilities.

Pretty interesting - and I reckon the likes of AAMI park should certainly be invesdtigating.

Still, after a bit of googling, it does seem like they haven't quite cracked the hot, sunny weather issue.

Ambient and surface temperature, relative humidity, wind speed, and cloud cover were measured on two natural grass and two adjacent artificial turf surfaces. The highest temperatures were recorded on 3G artificial turf (M = 46.3 °C, maximum = 86.6 °C)

Significant surface temperature differences were also observed between the synthetic turf fields at the two venues. The regional synthetic turf was found to be significantly warmer (by 5.9 °C) than the metropolitan synthetic turf which was the cool climate product. It should be noted, however, that high surface temperatures (up to 71.1 °C) were still experienced on the cool climate product, suggesting that further research into improving these products to reduce surface temperature remains a priority

 

[half]

I think players, coaches and rugby officials as well as the viewing public but in particular the players are entitled to a safe working environment.

Especially today when sports are being so closely looked at pertaining to player welfare.

I hope the players union get involved if it is a bad as some have said in this thread. The last thing a player or the code for that matter need is a player seriously hurt because a groundsman has not prepared the field correctly.

 

[The Honey Badger]

Found this thread in the bowels.

Sounds like we are in ground hog day.

Read page 1 of the posts and most sports fields are sand based for drainage.

 

[Quick Hands]

Found this thread in the bowels.

Sounds like we are in ground hog day.

Read page 1 of the posts and most sports fields are sand based for drainage.

I recall the discussion.The obsession with not playing on muddy fields means that most grounds (in Australia anyway) are sand based. It means that the turf is looser than if it was dark soil.

The surface on Saturday night was unacceptable IMO (which is a separate issue from playing on an oval shaped ground)

 

[liquor box]

Was there an NRC match in Sydney this year played on artificial grass?

Is this allowed for higher levels or does it have to a hybrid grass/artificial?

 

[The Honey Badger]

Was there an NRC match in Sydney this year played on artificial grass?

Is this allowed for higher levels or does it have to a hybrid grass/artificial?

Concord and Leichardt were both used. Both natural grass as far as I know.

 

[Quick Hands]

Was there an NRC match in Sydney this year played on artificial grass?

Is this allowed for higher levels or does it have to a hybrid grass/artificial?

SS matches were played at Woolahra which is either artficial or hybrid

 

[Braveheart81]

Woollahra is purely artificial. I don't know that there are any hybrid pitches in Australia.

 

[Quick Hands]

Woollahra is purely artificial. I don't know that there are any hybrid pitches in Australia.

https://thewest.com.au/news/wa/hybrid-turf-rolled-out-at-perth-stadium-ng-b88555491z

 

[Braveheart81]

I didn't know that was hybrid. Awesome!

The biggest problem with artificial pitches (and this is largely from NFL research) is that they cause more injuries (ACLs etc.).

 

[Quick Hands]

I didn't know that was hybrid. Awesome!

The biggest problem with artificial pitches (and this is largely from NFL research) is that they cause more injuries (ACLs etc.).

I think that's right. Hybrid seems to be what is being used in the UK and France rather than straight artificial.