Winter Sports - Rugby World Cup
erecting them was 100% in the hands of the Amex team. Steve had had some experience of erecting rugby posts, though by another method, in his days as the University head groundsman. There was just a tinge of apprehension, but it was a 100% successful operation. Pitch length for both the Under-20 match and the World Cup games is set at 95 metres, goal line to goal line. In accordance with RFU ruling, the grassed run-off to the dead ball line for the Under 20 match was five metres, but will be extended to six to meet World Cup stipulations. Having room to achieve this was another of the factors in venue selection. The non-playing area surrounding the whole of the pitch had to be upgraded to meet IRIB 22 regulation for 3G surfacing. The Rugby World Cup’s contractor, McCardle, replaced the existing carpet beyond the touchlines and dead ball lines with a compliant one ahead of the Under 20 match. Steve uses Richard Gibbs for agronomic
New posts at the Amex, hoisted into position three days before the England-France Under-20 international in March
“ 54 I PC APRIL/MAY 2015
The sockets for the rugby posts had been put in last summer as part of the annual renovation work. Contractors dug two metres down and the sockets were set 100mm beneath the turf surface and capped
dress rehearsal on March 20 with the staging of an Under-20 6-Nations England v France match. Sky Sports cameras were there for this first ever rugby match at the Amex. The occasion was, perhaps, more significant than the score. International rugby on an English football ground had happened. The sockets for the rugby posts were put
in last summer as part of the annual renovation work. Contractors dug two metres down and the sockets were set 100mm beneath the turf surface and capped. The caps were removed for the first installation of rugby posts at the Amex three days ahead of the Under-20 international in March. To install the posts, there’s an attachment which fits on to the ROPS of the tractor. The posts lie on top of the rollbar, through a roller system, and the tractor reverses to hoist the aluminium 17-metre high, hinged posts, supplied by Harrod UK. The job of
advice and he goes to the Amex regularly to take soil samples. Since it was confirmed that the stadium was to be a Rugby World Cup venue, he has concentrated on checking that the profile has not shifted and, in particular, to make sure there is consistency and stability in the top four inches of Fibrelastic. As things stand, unless anything abnormal
shows up in late season testing, normal renovation is planned for the end of May and Steve will be going for shallow fraise mowing surface removal, as usual. Steve says the organisers are definitely not
breathing down his neck. They are not insisting that Steve calls upon their consultants for help or guidance, but the link is there if he needs it. “They are very much letting me do my own thing,” he said. “Sure, their consultants are keeping a watch on things. I’d expect that. They simply want to make sure nothing untoward occurs. It’s just a safeguard. I have no plans and there’s no pressure on me to do anything special at all. I’m just sticking to my normal end of season work.” As far as final pre-match preparation is
concerned, weather at the time will obviously play a big part, though Steve would be pretty unlucky to get extreme conditions in September. Nearer the time, he’ll prepare a four-day countdown schedule of detailed work ahead of each game. He has a pool of six match day staff normally called in for home match routines, and this will stay the same. In the unlikely event of significant bad weather, he could always draft in ground staff from the club’s Lancing training ground pitches to assist with works. There will have to be a bit of an
The 17m high aluminium posts were hoisted into position via an attachment fitted to the tractor’s ROPS
adjustment to the feeding programme to suit the temporary switch from football to rugby. Steve favours Primo Maxx and the control of top growth it gives, and he will continue to use it up to the last football match before the World Cup games. He has to get a cut of 30mm for rugby kick-offs instead of the usual 21mm at that time of year and, he says, he will be talking to Everris about Primo applications up to this short-term need for
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