New pitch for Ospreys game

[Tigerbeat]

Bring on the rugby!! Bring on the Ospreys!!

Pitch is looking good!

[fentiger]

Is that players out there now (16:15)?

[BeeJ]

They're still there now (17.15).

I wish they'd sort out the clock on the camera. There's no such time as 05.15pm - it's either 5.15pm or 17.15. 05.15 is 5.15am, i.e. a quarter past five in the morning.

[strawclearer]

They're still there now (17.15).

I wish they'd sort out the clock on the camera. There's no such time as 05.15pm - it's either 5.15pm or 17.15. 05.15 is 5.15am, i.e. a quarter past five in the morning.

This calls for a 'time' joke...

The past, the present and the future walked into a bar.

It was tense.

I'll get my coat - at seventeen forty five minutes to six.

[Noggs]

The man is out with the hand mower and the pitch is looking a knockout or as the French would say 'coup de grâce'

[Qbec]

Noggs: Very good I like that

[Tigerbeat]

Pitch was very good underfoot and looked in good nick at the end of the game.

[PaleoTiger]

Cutting to the chase, pitch looked amazing. You've got to see it to believe it. In the TV interview, Packwood the groundsman said he'd be surprised if anyone gets mud on them from the pitch, I'd have to say I agree. Pitch looks world class, never thought I'd say that about a Tigers pitch over recent years, I hope it continues.

[wormus]

Pitch was very good underfoot and looked in good nick at the end of the game.

And that is after six announcements to ALL spectators to keep off the pitch and allow it to mature, shame some tried to test the texture underfoot despite the request.

[Ads677]

Intriguingly, despite the claims that this is 100% turf on a mesh of some synthetic material, we noticed a number of 'Astro turf-like' plastic strands about 1 to 2 inches long sitting on the surface (note that this was right in the corner of the pitch, we didn't go onto the pitch!).

We couldn't see where these tufts came from, but it was clear that the rest of the surface was incredibly tightly knit grass. Overall it looks a fantastic surface, although the pitch looks even more like a crown green bowls surface than ever before!

[Bowden Tiger]

Ads677, I have to agree the 'camber' seems to be more pronounced. But that is the best playing surface I have seen at Welford Road in over 35 years. Of course its only one game, and who knows what an English Winter will do for it, but it does look good!

[Farmboy]

Lots of rain will not be the problem as sand on sand gives incredible drainage hence the sprinklers to make sure enough water for the grass. The real problem will be getting enough direct light,not shade, for the grass. Which was a major part of the reseeded area not growing last season. With winter lower sun pitch is shaded too much, need either reflectors to light shaded area or up leccy bill with lights.

[strawclearer]

Lots of rain will not be the problem as sand on sand gives incredible drainage hence the sprinklers to make sure enough water for the grass. The real problem will be getting enough direct light,not shade, for the grass. Which was a major part of the reseeded area not growing last season. With winter lower sun pitch is shaded too much, need either reflectors to light shaded area or up leccy bill with lights.

The late afternoon shadow from the new stand at the Clubhouse* end was quite noticeable on the webcam yesterday.

*or West Stand or Aylestone Road or Nottingham Building Society or whatever it's called these days!

[Grimlish]

Intriguingly, despite the claims that this is 100% turf on a mesh of some synthetic material, we noticed a number of 'Astro turf-like' plastic strands about 1 to 2 inches long sitting on the surface (note that this was right in the corner of the pitch, we didn't go onto the pitch!).

We couldn't see where these tufts came from, but it was clear that the rest of the surface was incredibly tightly knit grass. Overall it looks a fantastic surface, although the pitch looks even more like a crown green bowls surface than ever before!

I went to look at the pitch after the game and was told by one of the stewards to take a look at the offcuts by the side of the newly named H&B stand (and the ambulance).

The turf there looked similar to any normal rolled turf with a very tight crop of grass. Where the turf had been cut there were strands of plastic fibre loose (the vertical strands woven into the backing) so I guess these will also be found on the pitch. The backing is a very loose weave plastic sacking material. No plastic is visible from the top.

I thought the pitch stood up to its first serious use impeccably. The ground staff struggled to find any divots to repair at half time and it was no different at the end of the game.

[loretta]

Intriguingly, despite the claims that this is 100% turf on a mesh of some synthetic material, we noticed a number of 'Astro turf-like' plastic strands about 1 to 2 inches long sitting on the surface (note that this was right in the corner of the pitch, we didn't go onto the pitch!).

We couldn't see where these tufts came from, but it was clear that the rest of the surface was incredibly tightly knit grass. Overall it looks a fantastic surface, although the pitch looks even more like a crown green bowls surface than ever before!

I went to look at the pitch after the game and was told by one of the stewards to take a look at the offcuts by the side of the newly named H&B stand (and the ambulance).

The turf there looked similar to any normal rolled turf with a very tight crop of grass. Where the turf had been cut there were strands of plastic fibre loose (the vertical strands woven into the backing) so I guess these will also be found on the pitch. The backing is a very loose weave plastic sacking material. No plastic is visible from the top.

I thought the pitch stood up to its first serious use impeccably. The ground staff struggled to find any divots to repair at half time and it was no different at the end of the game.

I was with Ads677 as he examined the turf. The surface was, indeed, an excellent grass sward. The plastic strands to which he refers were green, v shaped and identical to those shown in the link here http://www.countyturf.co.uk/eclipse-hyb ... -tech-info. I rubbed my hand through the grass, but was unable to see any plastic threads, my conclusion was that they are woven into the root-level reinforcing mesh but are so short as to sit beneath the surface of the turf.