Saracens chief executive Ed Griffiths has admitted that installing an artificial surface at their new Stadium is a calculated risk.
Sarries are to set to play their first game at their new Allianz Park home in north London against Exeter Chiefs on February 16 and work is underway to get the new venue ready.
The pitch will be the first of its kind in the Aviva Premiership and Griffiths believes it will be a positive step forward for the club.
"Of course there is a risk of being first," Griffiths told the Watford Observer .
"The general reaction of other clubs has been OK it's interesting but let's wait and see how it turns out, but at Saracens we want to be first and we want to be taking the club forward. In two years time either everyone in rugby will have moved to what we have or we will have moved back to grass."
"The great thing is that because it is plastic underneath, fathers and sons can go on the pitch and play on it until the end of the night as far as I'm concerned. And we won't have a game called off until it's below -8 degrees celsius - so I've already drawn up the rental costs for when the winter months draw in!"
Comments
LondonWasp says...
my local club (maidenhead) has one of these fitted recently.
Posted 00:42 17th October 2012
Bones7 says...
APV1 - we used to train on a 3G pitch at uni, it takes a stud, you don't really get burns like astro and you can play, much to our dismay, when it's absolutely freezing. I think Newcastle uni play all of their rugby on one now as far as I am aware. The problem is a lot of us seemed to get problems with calves and hamstrings from the slightly bouncy surface and balls get a bit more bounce on them. The best way I can describe it is like one of those plastic, grass effect doormats but softer and full of little rubber granules which seem to get absolutely everywhere!
Posted 23:15 16th October 2012
jamesliveinhope says...
I plead ignorance about this stuff.
My issue is not with its suitability to play rugby on but with its difference from proper grass and the potential home advantage that would give.
I used Loftus road as a for example, a different surface doesn't make a player run any differently, I guess it won't make scrummaging, line-outs or the breakdown much different but the ball has to bounce.
If the ball bounces differently even minutely (even if its more consistent) it will have an impact on drop kicks, grubber kicks and positional kicks. It wasn't until I saw Matt Banahan being coached in the art of the grubber that I ever realized what a technical discipline that is.
Whilst everyone bemoans the lack of desire for moving the ball through the hands at elite level, even the best sides in the running game depend on kicking for a significant proportion of their match tactics.
A few people have said that their clubs use these pitches for their training surface, I can see huge benefits to that, all weather and relatively maintenance free must be great, but not sure about first class match surfaces.
Posted 22:20 16th October 2012
Danatthecorner says...
These synthetic pitches have come on so far as to be unrecognisable from those used even during the 90's.
Lots of teams around England play on these pitches already. Newcastle Falcons train on one and play their A-League games on one. It is as close to real grass as you are going to get without it being grass and so burns/impact damage is very rare, in fact its far safer than playing on grass during the summer.
I myself have played on one and it was fine, you wear regular moulded boots, scrummaging is fine as is place kicking. After about 10 minutes you have pretty much forgotten that you aren't playing on grass.
Posted 16:31 15th October 2012
APV1 says...
@ jamesliveinhope - my point exactly. The Fez Heads will get used to the surface and play about 50% of their matches on it. But other teams will only play 1 or two, and wont have the opportunity to get used to it.
Then add in playing in pimply trainers, rather than "proper" boots for only one or two matches and the issue is compounded.
It sounds like my injury worries are not an issue, but it still feels a little wrong.
"Level playing field" gag anyone..?
Posted 15:44 15th October 2012
billybob says...
This is going to be taken up in a few years time. My Uni has one, its the Irish and Leinster training pitch too. Its was great when we first got it, as it means the ball never gets dirty and suits a running style of rugby. Its the same as playing on a hard pity during the summer. We all get carpet burn on it from time to time. It's great to play on but like playing on a pity in summer it does hurt when you hit the ground hard. We also avoid doing contact session on it as it wreaks havoc with peoples knees hitting on the ground again and again and again. As far as boots go normal studs are fine, but its hard for us in the middle of january when we go away from home to play on a slow, much pitch as we've forgotten what it looks like. This stuff is grand to train on. Not to play week in week out
Posted 15:31 15th October 2012
jamesliveinhope says...
It seems that the issues presented by the old astroturf have been overcome but is it different to proper turf?
I remember a feature of QPR and Luton Town's investment in artificial surfaces was that they became unbeatable at home despite being very ordinary sides.
With kicking being such an important part of the sport, is there not a risk that place-kicking and kicking from hand becomes a huge issue for visitors whilst Sarries players start to struggle away (and internationally) with the same issue in reverse.
Its done now though so we'll have to wait and see.
Posted 15:01 15th October 2012
jamesliveinhope says...
It seems that the issues presented by the old astroturf have been overcome but is it different to proper turf?
I remember a feature of QPR and Luton Town's investment in artificial surfaces was that they became unbeatable at home despite being very ordinary sides.
With kicking being such an important part of the sport, is there not a risk that place-kicking and kicking from hand becomes a huge issue for visitors whilst Sarries players start to struggle away (and internationally) with the same issue in reverse.
Its done now though so we'll have to wait and see.
Posted 15:01 15th October 2012
lawynd says...
@APV1 - there's a sports college not far from me that has '3G' astroturf pitches, which this is similar to. It looks, more or less, like real grass and plays like it too; there's some give to the ground (rather than landing on packed sand) and it doesn't destroy unprotected skin. Those are restricted to astroturf trainers but from talking to one of the staff there it's mainly to ensure that everyone has the same footwear (players with studs standing on someone in astroturf trainers isn't fun) and that it lasts longer; they couldn't see any other reasons why studs wouldn't be permissible.
Posted 14:51 15th October 2012
BWJC says...
The pitch will be the most exciting thing on display.
Posted 14:01 15th October 2012
Waz4before says...
Hong Kong has had a pitch similar for many years now and played numerous games including club and international matches without major incident, so good on Sarries although I guess the proof of the pudding will come when they use it. if its a success I suspect we'll see many more rolled out over the next few years ..
Posted 13:17 15th October 2012
APV1 says...
And what about the players? I have no concept of what this is like to touch or play on, so am coming from a completely uninformed perspective (unlike me, obviously!).
Is it like astroturf? If so, that would be bloody sore to land on.
Can you wear studs, or do you need special footwear? If so, what about player-preparation, especially the kickers. If they have to wear a different shoe for only one or two matches each season (1 x AP + 1 x possible HC match), then how will they prepare?
I'm not against it, just curious and concerned. I'm all for innovation, but not at the expense of player wealfare (astroturf grazes are no joke) or performance (how long do players spend practising their skills?).
Does it change with the weather? A turf pitch gets harder in the sun or ice and softer if it's warm and wet. This changes the game and the players' ability to adapt is a great skill. Does this negate that and make it less of an issue? If so, I'm not sure I like it - I like the adaptation required to play the conditions.
Anyone less ignorant than me able to help?
Posted 12:42 15th October 2012
jontheref says...
These pitches are great.
I refereed on them in california, and now that the technology has got to the stage of no "burns" in contact, they are a great alternative to grass.
Also, no games called off for soggy or frozen grounds.
Posted 12:25 15th October 2012