Winter Sports - Rugby World Cup
He’s our supplier of fertiliser, so we go on his knowledge, as well as what we know here.” The teamwork seems to be working, as
they tell me that with trying the natural biology, combined with sticking to what they know works, the pitch is stable and doesn’t fluctuate too much. What is great to hear is that the players also appreciate the work that Adrian and Max are doing, not something you hear from every groundsman. “The players will come and have a word with you. They all really love the pitch as well,” Max tells me. “They can’t give you enough credit really. Rob Baxter as well, right at the top of the management. There’s a lot to be said for that, isn’t there?” There is a good balance, it seems, between
what the players need and what Max and Adrian need. They tell me that the players will move around the pitch to help them and save the surface, and that they won’t work on it if it conflicts with the players. Ironically, Adrian and Max have been
enjoying a brief respite of late as a result of the World Cup, as the players are not allowed on it to train. Usually, the pitch is used every day. “If they’ve got a game Saturday, they’ll have Sunday off, then they’ll be back in training Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, then Thursday’s off, then back on it on Friday. So it’s pretty never ending really. As you would know, during the winter it’s pretty tough to grow grass, especially with about fifty eighteen stone blokes
running around on it!” So, what will be the
focus for the two Devonian lads until the first game on the 29th September, I ask them? “Two or three days before the game, we will be on the pitch a lot more doing a lot more to it. Now we’ve got a window where there’s nobody on it training, we can do more.” Keeping the colour is of big importance for the media coverage and Joe Public, and they will try to cut the grass every day if possible, weather depending. Then there is the ‘Captain’s Run’ to contend with the day before the match, where both teams have a training session led by the Captain. “Our work will start after that to get our pitch up to scratch ready for match day,” Max says, “then there is a pressure, because you could be working into the evening and, if the weather is against you, it’s not very nice either!”
Coming to the end of my time there, I ask them whether they are any more nervous
Sandy Park’s pitch is praised by the players and management
having talked about it for a while. “Not at the moment, but we’ve still got a few days to go yet. I am sure that next weekend, when it is getting a little bit closer…” Max says, “it’s hard work being on your feet all day long, but I suppose that comes with the love of the job, doesn’t it?" I tell Adrian I haven’t heard anybody say
they hate it yet ... “Come back in the middle of January, and it might be different!”
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PC OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2015 I 65
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