Winter Sports - Rugby Union
1st XV pitch improvements in 2011
a closely mown strip.” John goes on to explain that all the pitches
are soil based, but have been topdressed with sand regularly since 2003; the first team pitch having received the heaviest tonnage and the most aeration. Most of the training area had new drains
The training pitches prior to the installation of the Hydraway system
“ 50 I PC APRIL/MAY 2014
installed in 2012 by Turfdry, using their Hydraway system. “The previous, very deep agricultural clay pipe drains had become partially blocked,” states John. “I have no idea when they were installed. The area was famously known as ‘The Swamp’ and, before we started some initial aeration and topdressing in 2003, was giving off anaerobic bacterial activity gasses. The players of the time refused to use it, saying it was polluted by sewage. A case of little knowledge, for sure. The Turfdry installation has been a revelation. It is now much dryer than the 1st XV pitch.” “The 1st XV pitch has had two sets of agricultural type drains installed since it was constructed, neither of which are effective
enough in terms of their ability to drain quickly, partly owing to their depth and being spaced too far apart, and partly owing to the soil construction and the surface slope which runs against the drains.” “Sand slits were installed in some areas
about ten years ago, but these remain the wettest part of the pitch. New, closely spaced sports drains are required to give the club any dependable chance of fulfilling fixtures following or during heavy rain. We have fulfilled many fixtures when the pitch has been waterlogged, with resultant compaction and cutting up, which just makes the groundstaff’s job more difficult. The pressure to play on waterlogged pitches is always commercial, so I am always ambivalent, having shared responsibility for income streams in my role as Chairman.” “The 1st XV pitch floods about twice a
year,” confirms John, “but becomes saturated regularly, such that matches are postponed when it is considered unsafe to play. We suffer from a high rainfall and windy
The area was famously known as ‘The Swamp’ and, before we started some initial aeration and topdressing in 2003, was giving off anaerobic bacterial activity gasses. The players refused to use it, saying it was polluted by sewage
The pitch just hours before the county semi-final
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