Saracens new stadium

[No. 3]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_u ... 175247.stm
"The Premiership side hope to play home games on artificial turf at the athletics stadium from next season."

Now call me a traditionalist if you want, but I wouldn't fancy playing on an artifical pitch! What I've seen of it in roundball doesn't look great...

[Scuba Steve]

I play for Maastricht Rugby Club and our home pitch is an astro one. Its not too bad but the ball does act slightly diff from a grass pitch when it bounces

[Goffer3404]

Southgate, to Enfield, to Watford and now to Barnet.
Nomadic I would say.
As for the astroturf, they just have to be different.

[Old Hob]

In the mid nineties a flat nosed detective from Sarf Lunnun said to me and a group:
"Gotta go, meetin' my Astroturf"

We all looked blank.

He grinned, "You know - Astroturf - Supergrass."

[tigerbruiser]

Just listened to Edward Griffiths on 5 Live... "it's not about just Rugby. It's a facility for al the community"

Sounds like an old fashioned night time 5 a side wendy ball facility with everyone picking up plenty of grazes. Hope they provide plenty of antiseptic cream for after the games. Ouch!

[MJ Chairman]

Having watched events such as the commonwealth games hockey it appeared that one of the ways to maintain the surface was to continually water it.
Best order plenty of pizza when the insects visit coz they never play with all that standing water

[kingol22]

dont think it should have an astro pitch. What about the effect on the scrum will players be able to get a good grip on the surface? And another move it seems stupid and the fans will not be happy but at least they have a chance of selling out with a 10000 capacity (isnt that less than what the rfu ask promoted teams to have?)

[Hull Fan]

dont think it should have an astro pitch. What about the effect on the scrum will players be able to get a good grip on the surface? And another move it seems stupid and the fans will not be happy but at least they have a chance of selling out with a 10000 capacity (isnt that less than what the rfu ask promoted teams to have?)

Your right Kingol22 it is less capacity but its Saracens and their coach is a doctor so it will be ok.

[Kinoulton]

I've had a right old anti-astroturf rant on the unoffy so I won't repeat it here.

But in a nutshell:

People who flog the stuff say it's getting better and better and is so much like real grass you could graze your cattle on it.

People who actually have to play on it say it's shucking fite.

[fleabane]

Good report here:
http://tinyurl.com/364hsmt

[Bill W (2)]

I've had a right old anti-astroturf rant on the unoffy so I won't repeat it here.

But in a nutshell:

People who flog the stuff say it's getting better and better and is so much like real grass you could graze your cattle on it.

People who actually have to play on it say it's shucking fite.

My cattle tell me it is ungrazeable!

Anyway, the planners of Barnet have yet to vote Yeah. Would you vote for the Saffers setting up home on your doorstep?

[BJ.]

Having watched events such as the commonwealth games hockey it appeared that one of the ways to maintain the surface was to continually water it.

So I've been told by one of my hockey chums, the water is to help keep the ball on the ground when dribbling. It's nowt to do with maintaining the surface.

[DickyP]

In the mid nineties a flat nosed detective from Sarf Lunnun said to me and a group:
"Gotta go, meetin' my Astroturf"

We all looked blank.

He grinned, "You know - Astroturf - Supergrass."

Reminds me of when John Elway Snr (father of the Denver Broncos quarterback) was asked if he preferred grass or astroturf and replied "Don't know - I've never smoked astroturf".