Artificial Surfaces “The following season an RFU/IRB
directive dictated that teams could not object to playing on it.” “There have been a few players who have complained about getting burns, but you get grass burns from natural surfaces in the early part of the season and also in the later stages of the season as well. Once you get used to playing here, it is a fabulous surface.” “If you want to play fast-paced, running rugby, which is how I like the sport to be played, then this is the pitch to have. It suits us really well.” It seems strange that Gosforth - which calls itself the home of grassroots rugby - should be pioneers of artificial surfaces, because a club formed in 1877 is, not surprisingly, steeped in history. However, it was in danger of disbanding. “The club used to be based on the
Great North Road but, when the club split into two to form Newcastle Falcons and Newcastle Gosforth, that ground was sold, and the old Journal ground at Kingston Park was purchased by Northern Rock, which is now the Falcons’ home ground.” In 2008, the ground was purchased by Northumbria University, and the Falcons’ retained full use of the facilities. “Dave Thompson, the major
shareholder of the the Falcons’ had acquired Druids Park from the Blue Star football club (who now play their games at Kingston Park) as a training ground
for the Falcons’. The idea for the artificial surface came about when he became chairman, and we got into bed with them as part of a community project. It has now become our permanent home and Gosforth RUFC has been able to start up again autonomously.”
Links between Gosforth and the
Falcons are not so strong nowadays, and Gosforth are left to their own devices when it comes to maintenance, as the groundstaff at their neighbours devote their time to Kingston Park, and the Premiership strugglers no longer train at Druids Park. However, they are a plucky bunch at Gosforth. The fact their pitch is ‘low maintenance’ and recently underwent one of its biannual inspections ordered by the RFU, to make sure everything is shipshape, is a source of pride for Graham. “It has just been assessed by the people who laid the pitch, and it passed with flying colours,” Graham reported as he gazed from one set of posts to the other. “They used a rolling ball to show that it is totally flat, and theodolites to make sure that it was level. From this dead-ball line to the other dead-ball line there is 0.3 percent of an incline, which means it is nigh-on perfectly level.” “The surface is brushed on a regular basis and, once a month, gets a right good brush to loosen the rubber crumb.
Most of the white lines are sewn into the surface, the only lines that aren’t are the 15-metre lines that are painted on; but even they do not require regular painting like grass pitches that sometimes have to be marked out on a weekly basis.” “So, it is always ready and can be used as a football pitch or a rugby pitch with a quick turnover. The posts come out, the football posts, which are kept nearby, go in, and the stage is set for a football match. It used to be home of Newcastle Blue Star, and other football teams have played here on a Saturday morning but, apart from that, it is a dedicated rugby ground.” Druids Park often plays host to county youth games, and Graham is hoping to see the club’s youth section prosper. “I joined the club thirteen years ago and, at that time, we had a full youth section from under six all the way up to under 18s, but currently we ony have under 13- 18, so we have lost a bit, but that is something we are trying to develop,” Graham said. “Interestingly, the kids love playing on the surface as well. On a Sunday morning, they will even switch their kick- off times so that all the teams can use it, because they prefer it to the grass.” “You can play up to ten games a day if you wish - one after the other. Car parking can be a bit of an issue but, otherwise, there are no other issues. That is the beauty of this pitch. If you play
“The kids love playing on the surface - on a Sunday morning, they will even switch their kick-off times so that all the teams can use it, because they prefer it to the grass”
Graham Crozier, Director of Rugby, Gosforth RUFC
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