Tigers need a new surface - good news!!

[fortysix]

Instead of a new stand, is it about time Tigers looked into the 21st Century and invested in a synthetic pitch...

The bog conditions at the moment are holding back the team..

What does the Forum think ????????

[pipkoi]

As was reported from the open forum evening, new pitch going down 2016-2017, mix of grass & synthetic - same as Twickenham - & bigger

[MJ Chairman]

I believe this was discussed at the last fans evening with Vickers and Cohen. The cost of the pitch would be around £800k which the banks will not finance until after the stand is completed which has already been financed

[Bowden Tiger]

I don't believe that synthetic surfaces are the answer, not yet anyway. Not only because my belief is that rugby should be played on grass, but also because the game changes significantly- just watch how Falcons play on theirs.

However, more importantly are the injuries that are as a direct result of playing on a synthetic surface- just look at the shots of Roger Wilson's knees from last week at Saracens.

[sapajo]

just look at the shots of Roger Wilson's knees from last week at Saracens.

Would that be James Wilson

[Bowden Tiger]

Sorry, my mistake.

should have left it as the 'Saints Full Back'

[DCat]

I do wonder if the club could get some sort of compensation from the company that caused the pitch issue after that concert last summer. That could at least part fund a new pitch.

However, either Cockers or Simon Cohen said at the forum the other week that there was a very small window where a commitment could be made for the pitch this summer, and I believe that has now gone.

I think that (a) if we completely reseed the pitch, as we do most summers, and (b) don't have anything going on that might compromise this such as concerts, then that should give us a reasonable playing surface next season.

[kingol22]

I don't believe that synthetic surfaces are the answer, not yet anyway. Not only because my belief is that rugby should be played on grass, but also because the game changes significantly- just watch how Falcons play on theirs.

However, more importantly are the injuries that are as a direct result of playing on a synthetic surface- just look at the shots of Roger Wilson's knees from last week at Saracens.

Tigers are not planning on going fully synthetic like Saracens and Newcastle, it will be a hybrid pitch.

[Sajerj]

The difference at Cardiff and Murrayfield this Six Nations with their new Hybrid pitches was massive.

Huge improvement. It will benefit Tigers no end.

[speedski]

I do wonder if the club could get some sort of compensation from the company that caused the pitch issue after that concert last summer. That could at least part fund a new pitch.

However, either Cockers or Simon Cohen said at the forum the other week that there was a very small window where a commitment could be made for the pitch this summer, and I believe that has now gone.

I think that (a) if we completely reseed the pitch, as we do most summers, and (b) don't have anything going on that might compromise this such as concerts, then that should give us a reasonable playing surface next season.

I believe they did from the event insurance company.

I'm just hoping there is no activity in the off season this time, the new stand is going to cause enough issues as it is,

[chipnchase]

I do wonder if the club could get some sort of compensation from the company that caused the pitch issue after that concert last summer. That could at least part fund a new pitch.

However, either Cockers or Simon Cohen said at the forum the other week that there was a very small window where a commitment could be made for the pitch this summer, and I believe that has now gone.

I think that (a) if we completely reseed the pitch, as we do most summers, and (b) don't have anything going on that might compromise this such as concerts, then that should give us a reasonable playing surface next season.

I believe they did from the event insurance company.

I'm just hoping there is no activity in the off season this time, the new stand is going to cause enough issues as it is,

They did get a pay out, clearly they invested every penny back into restoring it

[Iain]

I hope they did get compensation. Had the organisers of that shambles of an event not gone bust, we should have been suing them.

As for the money being used to put it right, I understand that the damage to the pitch isn't the kind that can be put right within a week or two as it is to do with the soil being too compacted deep down. I'm sure somebody with horticultural expertise can explain that better.

I really hope we don't go down the fully synthetic route. I'm not convinced they are completely safe yet, and above all else rugby is played on grass from the very lowest levels. I'm not sure I can convey this accurately, but I don't want it to be the case that the lower levels play on grass until the top tier where suddenly apparently grass isn't good enough.

A desso pitch would get my vote however when we can afford it.

[Noggs]

Apart from the exceptional problem this season the pitch has held up reasonably well over the last few seasons. That said I think the hybrid pitch is the future. All the benefits of playing on grass but a pitch that holds together.

I dislike artificial pitches and believe that if gives the clubs that have them a real advantage in that they are very familiar with the dynamics of surface playing 50% of there games on the surface as opposed to the one or two game experience that the opposition get. At least the hybrid pitch has the same characteristics as conventional grass.

If it were my decision I would never have allowed artificial pitches but I guess it's too late now.

[wormus]

They did get a pay out, clearly they invested every penny back into restoring it [/quote]

The trouble is they used the same restoration company that Austin Healey used on his patch !!

[trendylfj]

As a former cricket groundsman for many years at both Kibworth CC and Langtons CC (both of who won the Leicestershire ground of the year during my tenure and KCC was a county 2nds ground) I do know the following:

1) Grass finds it hard to grow during the winter - I am sure with the modern lights it grows a little, but those of you that expected it to green up are expecting too much

2) Compaction is fairly easy to loosen - slitting tines and hollow tines on the heavy machines available today would do the job but that can only be decided upon by taking core samples. I would find it hard to believe that the concert caused deep compaction but the staging left down for any real length of time would kill off the top green.

3) I have total faith in our team of groundsmen to get the grass growing again in plenty of time for next season - they have almost 4 months of off season as long as the work on the clubhouse end doesn't interfere with their work.

4) Their difficulty will be to get roots to go down deep enough - a pretty green pitch should be easy it is what happens when a stud goes in that will be the testing time.

Don't know much about these hybrids so can't comment