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From The Times
December 18, 2008
Newcastle turn pioneers again with proposed synthetic pitch
</DIV>John Westerby </DIV
Newcastle Falcons are hoping to play their home matches on a newly installed artificial pitch at Kingston Park next season, thought to be the first time that top-level rugby will have been played on synthetic turf. They may be languishing in eleventh place in the Guinness Premiership, but the Falcons are hoping to break new ground for professional rugby by developing a state-of-the-art, fourth-generation artificial surface, costing about £500,000, in conjunction with Northumbria University, the club’s landlord.
The scheme is subject to approval from the university, which bought Kingston Park this month, but it is understood to be keen to install a pitch that could host university rugby and football teams when the Falcons were not playing at home. Such a heavy programme of matches would be impossible on a grass pitch, especially given the inhospitable weather conditions common in the North East.
The plan follows the successful installation in August 2007 of a fourth-generation pitch at Druid Park, the Falcons’ training complex in Woolsington. “I’d be more than happy to play our Premiership games on an artificial pitch,” Phil Dowson, the Newcastle captain, said yesterday. “Our training pitch has been fantastic and it makes for good, fast rugby.”
There is unlikely to be any substantial resistance to the idea from other Premiership clubs because the fourth-generation surfaces are approved by the IRB. At Druid Park, the cushioned turf feels like grass to the touch, takes a full stud and is no more abrasive than a firm grass pitch at the beginning or end of a season.
Saracens, London Irish and London Wasps, who share their grounds with football clubs, use enhanced natural grass, but none have fully artificial turf, while several football clubs, including Ajax and Real Madrid, have fourth-generation training pitches.
The Falcons’ training ground is shared with Gosforth RFC, who have been using the pitch for their home matches in the Durham & Northumberland One league for the past two seasons. Initially, they met some strong resistance from opposing teams. When Stockton refused to play on it and Gosforth refused to offer an alternative venue, the home side were handed a two-point penalty, although that was subsequently overturned. Last season, the RFU allowed opposing teams to request a change of venue (four out of 11 did so; Gosforth offered a grass venue to the other three), but this season regulations have been amended.
“Other teams just needed to get used to the idea,” John Coffey, the Gosforth captain, said. “Once they play on it, almost everyone likes it. Scrummaging is no different if you wear a full stud and it doesn’t hurt any more than usual when you get dumped on the ground. The only problems have been for unfit teams who just liked to shove the ball up their jumpers.”
Although the sight of forwards ankle-deep in mud is part of rugby’s folklore, Dowson agrees that the new pitches could create a more spectator-friendly product. “You get quick ball at the rucks and scrums and it’s a great surface to run on,” he said. “We can train at full intensity more often because it’s much less sapping than a muddy pitch in winter. We used to train sometimes at Newcastle United’s indoor facility and that was pretty hard when you landed, but this is just like grass. You don’t get any burns. It’s great for players and spectators alike.”
That would be a further attraction for the Falcons, whose crowds have fallen to an average of 4,700 this season. There is the additional benefit for a cash-strapped club of minimal maintenance costs and a facility that can be used several times a week. For a club who were among the pioneers of the professional game in the mid-1990s but have fallen on harder times recently, there is once again the opportunity to lead the way.
Grass roots
1960s A tufted high-density nylon fibre carpet, AstroTurf, is created.
1970s-1980s Second generation of artificial turf, mainly flatter, sand-filled polypropylene carpets, proved ideal for sports such as hockey, but too quick and abrasive for contact sports such as football.
Late 1990s Third generation of turf developed, using longer fibres and spread with rubber granules in addition to sand for greater shock absorption. Polypropylene replaced by polyethylene, which was softer on the skin.
2000s Fourth-generation turf has softer, stronger fibres and much-improved shock absorbency.
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Originally Posted by BunnoBarbarians
