Cardiff Blues plan to rip up turf and install artificial pitch at Arms Park

[TRF_Cymro]

CARDIFF Blues want to rip up the hallowed Arms Park turf and install an artificial pitch in time for next season.The capital city region are trying to secure the £500,000 needed to lay the same state-of-the-art 4G surface used by Saracens at their new Allianz Stadium home, and will press ahead with the plan this summer if successful.

Read more: Wales Online http://www.walesonline.co.uk/rugbyn...ch-at-arms-park-91466-33073430/#ixzz2Op8wLgE5​

 

[ratsapprentice]

 

[Bluemoon]

The grounds staff at CAP have always done a great job considering the pitch has very poor drainage and is essentially on a riverbank. This is only going to be a good move providing these pitches have a long term stability/low maintenance cost.

From the perspective of the long term future of the arms park, its quite a statement from the board if they were to invest in the pitch as completion of the millennium stadium would look even more unlikely?

 

[SelimNiai]

I get the feeling these new artificial pitches are going to be the way forward. Allianz already has it, its now proposed for CAP and the revamped Ashton Gate in Bristol. I'm against it but not as much as I was after seeing it at Sarries, it works but that was dry, I wonder how it plays after rain.

 

[Draggs]

I get the feeling these new artificial pitches are going to be the way forward. Allianz already has it, its now proposed for CAP and the revamped Ashton Gate in Bristol. I'm against it but not as much as I was after seeing it at Sarries, it works but that was dry, I wonder how it plays after rain.

Better than the CAP pitch held up on Boxing Day probably.

 

[dasNdanger]

What is the artificial turf made of, and how does it feel against the skin when one's face is being ground into it?

Also, not sure how I feel about this - there is something delightful about watching mud wrestling in the middle of a rugby match. I will miss that sort of thing.


das

 

[lynam1104]

What is the artificial turf made of, and how does it feel against the skin when one's face is being ground into it?

Also, not sure how I feel about this - there is something delightful about watching mud wrestling in the middle of a rugby match. I will miss that sort of thing.


das

I've played on a number of artificial pitches and if done right they don't leave any burns or the like, it's not quite the same as grass but the fact that they can be used all year round and are easy to maintain must be all to alluring for some clubs. I'd rather see the majority remain grass it's where rugby should be played.

 

[Groundhog]

I've played on the artificial pitch behind the Aviva Stadium, and the one in U.C.D (for training) and I hate them. In the Aviva I smacked my head off the ground while wearing a scrum cap and got a concussion and burns everywhere. Also it did a job on my ankles as I was wearing long studs. Might not be so bad for backs. Positives are naturally, it won't get cut up, and it won't get rained off like most pitches in the country.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

You don't get burns on the new stuff, but they're rough on the joints. Don't think its a coincidence that at every game at the Sarries new gaff at least one person has gone off with a twisted knee and/or ankle injury.

Sent from my HTC Incredible S using Tapatalk 2

 

[lynam1104]

You don't get burns on the new stuff, but they're rough on the joints. Don't think its a coincidence that at every game at the Sarries new gaff at least one person has gone off with a twisted knee and/or ankle injury.

Sent from my HTC Incredible S using Tapatalk 2

Or in my case a broken ankle, forgot to mention that studs got caught in the stuff i think not sure however.

 

[Draggs]

I'd like a pitch made out of packing peanuts.
We could do away with scrummaging and it would discourage grubbers.

I feel like sigesige.

 

[Thingimubob]

The grounds staff at CAP have always done a great job considering the pitch has very poor drainage and is essentially on a riverbank. This is only going to be a good move providing these pitches have a long term stability/low maintenance cost.

From the perspective of the long term future of the arms park, its quite a statement from the board if they were to invest in the pitch as completion of the millennium stadium would look even more unlikely?

Exactly what I thought - why spend the £500,000 on a new pitch when moneys already tight, when in the next 5 - 10 years the Glamorgan Telecom stand (one attached to the old stadium side of the Millennium) needs to be knocked down because of problems with the old concrete. Will they re-build it I wonder? Be sad to lose a stadium like the Arms Park, but they really do need to finish the Millennium sooner rather than later.

 

[psychic duck]

Hopefully this should see an end to this ...

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/Bvcsm1F6ZPU#t=4690" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>

Naturally many people are thinking of any reason as to why not play on the artificial pitches as they are cautious to change, but it makes sense on a number of levels and if technology is good enough then it should be used.

I don't buy the "bad for joints" thing either. Joint injuries could happen on any surface, just ask Mark Jones who was forced to retire after his umpteenth knee injury sustained on the awful Millennium Stadium turf.

On the same day as the match above, the Ospreys played the Scarlets on what was basically a carpet and the players could actually throw 2 passes together without the ball being dropped.

 

[dullonien]

Surely a mixed pitch like used at the Liberty stadium would be better. It's a tried and tested surface which provides one of the best playing surfaces going. Why bother with fully synthetic, where there are still possible issues, when there is a solution available already that works?

 

[TRF_Cymro]

Exactly what I thought - why spend the £500,000 on a new pitch when moneys already tight, when in the next 5 - 10 years the Glamorgan Telecom stand (one attached to the old stadium side of the Millennium) needs to be knocked down because of problems with the old concrete. Will they re-build it I wonder? Be sad to lose a stadium like the Arms Park, but they really do need to finish the Millennium sooner rather than later.

Understanding, for the time being that the 'Gap' will not be filled at the moment. Heavens knows why. If they filled the gap, then it would allow a greater chance of income. Not also this, the reason why the NFL has not gone to Cardiff is because they feel the capacity is to small.

Anyhow, if the pitch will help the CAP then I am all for it. I would think they would have looked at synthetic pitches, but obviously feel that it wouldn't be great for the Arms Park for one reason or another.

 

[dasNdanger]

I've played on a number of artificial pitches and if done right they don't leave any burns or the like, it's not quite the same as grass but the fact that they can be used all year round and are easy to maintain must be all to alluring for some clubs. I'd rather see the majority remain grass it's where rugby should be played.

Thanks! I tend to agree that the game should be played on grass. But then again, I'm a bit of a luddite.

I'd like a pitch made out of packing peanuts.
We could do away with scrummaging and it would discourage grubbers.

I feel like sigesige.

:lol:

I'll see your packing peanuts, and raise you bubble wrap. Pop-pop, pop, pop, pop, POP!

Hopefully this should see an end to this ...

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/Bvcsm1F6ZPU#t=4690" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>

THAT sir, is a thing of beauty.

:wub:




das

 

[Amiga500]

Have you guys got the right studs for the 3G/4G "turf"?


It doesn't take a full stud very well - I tend to use something that is somewhere between a mouldy boot and an astroturf trainer. Works well, both wet and dry.