SISIS Zig Zag Brush when dry if needed. The surface needs to be drag-brushed
regularly, ideally weekly, when conditions allow to keep the infill mobile, and the pile de-compacted. This should only be carried out when the surface is clean ! More aggressive tined harrowing can be
carried out at intervals during dry periods to keep the infill and the pile mobile and level.
There is now one machine that combines all the above functions, it cleans the surface, sieves the crumb, decompacts and brushes in one pass. Annually or biannually, depending on the amount of contamination, the infill should be cleaned and recycled using a
Sweepfast Greensweep
purpose built machine. These will effectively remove contamination, organic debris and broken fibre from the infill whilst decompacting the carpet and lifting fibres at the same time. Moss and algae control is really important as, with milder conditions encouraging growth, once they becomes established control is really difficult. Spraying with a proprietary moss killer should be carried out at a minimum, once a year, with regular spot spraying in between times. Ideally, the surface should be sprayed within two weeks of annual infill treatments so that any spores exposed and distributed across the surface are destroyed.
The biggest worry with 3G pitches is that with their sand ballast and rubber crumb infill, contamination builds up at the base of the carpet underneath the infill, unlike sand filled surfaces where the contaminated layer of infill is usually close to the surface. As the pile on many of these pitches is designed to fold over, removing the contamination is a very expensive and difficult task, one that we have not as yet solved. Therefore, the need for strict hygiene and maintenance on these surfaces is paramount! Keith Porter, Head Groundsman at Leigh Sports Village, says “There is no such thing as maintenance free all weather pitch facility.” He has recently
THE RFU, IRB AND ARTIFICIAL GRASS PITCHES I
t may seem a little odd, but the position of artificial grass pitches in rugby union is best summed up by saying that good quality, natural turf pitches that are well maintained remain the surface upon which the game will be played competitively.
Artificial pitches supplement this
approach by providing playing, training and education facilities with a consistent surface throughout the year upon which the game can develop. For those clubs, schools, colleges and universities who have limited training space, large numbers of young people playing the game, poor natural turf conditions, high external use by other rugby or soccer users - artificial turf offers a real opportunity to provide a quality surface upon which to play the game. To that end, the RFU has supported the development of artificial turf training areas to the extent that we now have more artificial grass pitches for rugby than any other country in the world.
In 2003 the International Rugby Board (IRB) produced the ‘Performance Specification for Artificial Grass Pitches
for Rugby’, more commonly known as ‘Regulation 22’, that provides the game - and suppliers - with the necessary technical detail to produce pitch systems that are appropriate for rugby union. The artificial surface standards identified in Regulation 22 allows matches to be played on surfaces that meet the standard. Full contact activity, including tackling, rucking and mauling, scrummaging and line outs can take place. The standards are designed to provide an artificial surface that mimics a good natural turf pitch.
The RFU followed this in 2007 with a document based upon Regulation 22, entitled ‘Artificial Grass Pitches for Rugby and Association Football’. This provides information to show that rugby and football can be played on artificial surfaces if the IRB criteria are met. It also sets out the testing protocols required for suppliers and clubs/operators to ensure the pitches meet - and continue to meet - the required criteria. Following amendments to Regulation 22 in January 2008, the RFU has amended its own Regulations for
September 2008 to clarify the use of artificial pitches for competitive matches, which now states that: Where an artificial pitch is to be used, the club where the pitch is situated must:
1. comply with IRB Regulation 22 and ensure that permission has been obtained from the RFU and that such permission has not expired or be invalidated
2. if it proposes to use the artificial pitch in any match in a RFU Competition, inform the RFU in writing at least 30 days before the start of the season or, if during the season, at least 30 days (or such shorter period as the RFU may agree in an emergency) prior to such artificial pitch being used in any RFU Competition.
No distinction is therefore made between artificial and natural turf in terms of the ability to play competitive matches. No player or team will be required to ‘voluntarily consent’ to play. If a player decides that he does not wish to play on an artificial surface it becomes a matter for his club and not the club at which the
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