Artificial pitch in Cardiff

[profitius]

Cardiff Blues have confirmed their Arms Park home is to be fitted with an artificial pitch in time for the new season. http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/news/rugby-cardiff-confirm-pitch-switch-102129010.html

It should be interesting to see what effect it has in mid winter especially. You'd think it will allow a faster paced game be played.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Do the Blues have the squad depth to accommodate the increase in injuries?

 

[profitius]

Do the Blues have the squad depth to accommodate the increase in injuries?

Will there be an increase? I thought the new artificial pitches were of a higher standard.

 

[smartcooky]

Cardiff Blues have confirmed their Arms Park home is to be fitted with an artificial pitch in time for the new season. http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/news/rugby-cardiff-confirm-pitch-switch-102129010.html

It should be interesting to see what effect it has in mid winter especially. You'd think it will allow a faster paced game be played.

Its not the Arms Park that needs an artificial pitch, its Millennium Stadium!!

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Will there be an increase? I thought the new artificial pitches were of a higher standard.

Been a large number of knee and/or ankle injuries at Sarries' new gaff, I presume that's the same pitch that Cardiff will get.

 

[SelimNiai]

Its not the Arms Park that needs an artificial pitch, its Millennium Stadium!!

I look at this as a "we'll see how it plays for a season or two to see if its viable then we'll decide about the MS"

 

[04perryo]

not a fan of artificial pitches tbh rugby was meant to be played on the real thing.

 

[TRF_Cymro]

Its not the Arms Park that needs an artificial pitch, its Millennium Stadium!!

They are looking at options. Last time I heard anything they were looking at what the Ospreys / Swansea City FC have done at the Liberty and have a mixture.

 

[lynam1104]

Will there be an increase? I thought the new artificial pitches were of a higher standard.

My school got a new artificial pitch and I broke my ankel within 5 minuets of kick off, studs get caught in the stuff and legs/knees/ankels don't like that. But I play frequently on artificial pitches and thats the only time it's happened so it's part bad luck but at the same time the pitch adds to it.

 

[dullonien]

They are looking at options. Last time I heard anything they were looking at what the Ospreys / Swansea City FC have done at the Liberty and have a mixture.

Yeah same here.

I don't personally understand why Cardiff would want a fully synthetic pitch when the blend at the Liberty is such an excellent surface, and without the doubts about injuries.

 

[smartcooky]

Sarries have an artificial pitch. Any complaints about that this season?

 

[TRF_Olyy]

No proper complaints I've seen - a few players on twitter joking about it after playing on it (all the scrapes/graves they have after the matches), but I have noticed (and ESPN, I think it was, picked up on it too) that every home game of Sarries saw one or two players going off with knee and/or ankle injuries. Could be a coincidence, but it was happening every single game.

 

[smartcooky]

Actually, I have always believed that if they want to have a real grass pitch at Millennium Stadium then it would be achievable by doing what has been done in some Football stadiums in Japan and some American Football Stadiums in the USA; have a pitch on rails that can be rolled out for growing and tending the grass, and rolled in for matches.

Here is an example from the University of Phoenix in Arizona, USA

The playing surface is connected to the irrigation irrigation system in the position you see it in here. It gets full sunlight and tending until its needed, then the irrigation is disconnected and the pitch is rolled into place under the end of the stand, all in less than two hours



So how would this be possible for Millennium Stadium?

On the left is what it looks like now, with the Arms Park to the north side (?)
Why not remove the Arms Park, demolish the stands, and build the transportable pitch in its place. Redesign the north end of Millennium Stadium so that it can be rolled under.



Or, thinking a bit outside the square.....

Why not rebuild the Arms Park stands either side of the transportable playing surface in its "resting" position and use it as a shared surface with Millennium Stadium? Surely, that would be a world first!!

 

[dullonien]

I think this was one of the options a number of years ago. The WRU have attempted to buy the land where the Arms Park stands, but Cardiff Athletic Club (who own the Arms Park) have refused. It's also the reason why the Millenium is as yet, unfinished.

Not sure about having a shared pitch. Would it be able to stand up to having Cardiff Blues, Cardiff RFC and international games all played on it all year around? If it could, it would be a great design.

The Arms Park needs redeveloping soon if the Blues intend to stay, so hopefully something can be done to at least finish the Millenium.

 

[smartcooky]

I think this was one of the options a number of years ago. The WRU have attempted to buy the land where the Arms Park stands, but Cardiff Athletic Club (who own the Arms Park) have refused. It's also the reason why the Millenium is as yet, unfinished.

Not sure about having a shared pitch. Would it be able to stand up to having Cardiff Blues, Cardiff RFC and international games all played on it all year around? If it could, it would be a great design.

I don't see why not.

A transportable pitch can be built from scratch using a gravel and sand base, free draining with good irrigation. What is the maximum number of games Cardiff Blues would play at home in a year?

11 to 13 in the Pro12,
4 to 6 in the LV Cup
6 to 9 in the Heineken Cup/Amlin Challenge Cup
Maximum 28 matches

Wales
2 - 3 Six Nations Matches
3 - 4 Autumn Internationals
Maximum 7

It would be sad story if a newly made purpose built pitch couldn't stand to be hosting 25 to 35 matches over a 9 month season.

 

[sifplay]

What is the roof and the under soil heating in the Millennium stadium for? So it can look cool on Wikipedia?

 

[smartcooky]

What is the roof and the under soil heating in the Millennium stadium for? So it can look cool on Wikipedia?

You're trolling again

 

[sifplay]

Don't know what you are trying but I know one of the reasons they want to use artificial turf is due to the weather and the field getting frozen which is dangerous.

I can assume you are looking for a reaction from me by posting that picture which makes it shiit stirring and totally of topic. Which to my mind equals trolling?

 

[dullonien]

I don't see why not.

A transportable pitch can be built from scratch using a gravel and sand base, free draining with good irrigation. What is the maximum number of games Cardiff Blues would play at home in a year?

11 to 13 in the Pro12,
4 to 6 in the LV Cup
6 to 9 in the Heineken Cup/Amlin Challenge Cup
Maximum 28 matches

Wales
2 - 3 Six Nations Matches
3 - 4 Autumn Internationals
Maximum 7

It would be sad story if a newly made purpose built pitch couldn't stand to be hosting 25 to 35 matches over a 9 month season.

You're missing Cardiff RFC who play in the Welsh premiership, they also play at the Arms Park. They probably play a similar amount to the Cardiff Blues, so add another 25-30 matches.

It's a wonderful idea, I really like it, but is 55-60 matches simply too much on a single pitch, especially one which hosts international matches?

An option could be to find a new home for Cardiff RFC, something which was considered when the WRU wanted to redevelop the ground, and the Blues were playing at CCS.

 

[smartcooky]

Don't know what you are trying but I know one of the reasons they want to use artificial turf is due to the weather and the field getting frozen which is dangerous.

I can assume you are looking for a reaction from me by posting that picture which makes it shiit stirring and totally of topic. Which to my mind equals trolling?

Sorry, but your smart-alec comment about making it "look good on Wikipedia" was an unnecessary add-on that made the whole post look like you were just baiting.

If what you are really asking is "why they would want to put an artificial pitch in Millennium Stadium when they have a roof and under soil heating" then why not just ask that without the added snide remarks? You'll find you will get better responses if you do that.

The reason they want to go artificial is because growing grass inside the stadium is very, very difficult without adequate sunlight and circulating air. Cardiff is at 51½° north latitude, the sun altitude never gets much above 15° in mid winter. Even with the roof open, the pitch area is in constant shadow, and the overall light level is too low. This is results in them having to grow the pitch outside, and install it by placing pallets in position and covering the area with soil before rolling out a new grass cover. This has to be done regularly (every year, or every two years?). Not only is this a huge expenses, it also results the the turf breaking up when it gets a bit ragged as the grass starts to die off.

There are other problems too. Growing the turf in less than ideal conditions makes it vulnerable to diseases and insect infestations. For example, in the past it has been contaminated by a Bibionidae fly (a.k.a. March Fly) infestation, which causes damage to root growth and surface grass coverage, and it has also suffered from Root Knot Nematodes, parasitic condition found in soil which attacks grasses and crops and can develop under certain climatic conditions.

If you look at this Google Earth photo I posted earlier...

....you will see the inside of the stadium is brown (compare that with the Arms Park next door where the turf is green) This is because at the time that photo was taken, there was no turf in the stadium, although it looks like the pallets have been laid and the soil is down. I would guess that photo was taken around June or July or 2009.