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Cardiff Blues consider installing artificial pitch

Last updated on .From the section Rugby Unioncomments73

Snow and mud problems could become a thing of the past at the Arms Park

Cardiff Blues are examining the possibility of ripping up the turf at the Arms Park and replacing it with an artificial pitch for next season.

The Welsh region was impressed by Saracens' new £500,000 playing surface when they at Allianz Park in January.

That was the first professional union match played on an artificial pitch.

"We are exploring those different [pitch] options," confirmed Blues chief executive Richard Holland.

"It's hugely important in today's commercial game that we have got a pitch which can withstand the inclemental weather we get over the winter periods.

"The weather that we had this season, it was touch-and-go on several occasions whether or not the matches would go ahead. If they hadn't there would have been a huge financial consequence.

"The beauty of an artificial pitch is that you can use it 365 days a year."

The Blues confirmed they investigating possible improvements for the Arms Park surface and have looked at a number of different options and costs including new grass, synthetic and a mixture of both with a synthetic weave.

Such artificial 4G playing surfaces cost only £18,000 per year to maintain, compared to around £85,000 for the upkeep of a grass pitch, but have to be replaced every eight years.

However, they are far less susceptible to adverse weather conditions - which have beset many sports teams this winter with heavy rain and snow - and can provide players with a surer footing, although there have been some studies that suggest there may be a greater strain put on players' joints.

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73 comments

  • Comment posted by Steak and Ale Pie, at 09:19 28 Mar 2013

    It is a well known fact that Welsh regional rugby is struggling for support and by extension money. The best way to arrest this decline is by becoming active members in the community. The Allianz pitch can be used 24 / 7 by local schools and clubs. You cannot convince me that this won't have a positive effect on support going forwards.

  • Comment posted by User0747193559, at 09:01 28 Mar 2013

    I'm not convinced, they limit the affects of the weather conditions which is something that has always been a part of the game.

    I don't mind semi-artificial pitches as per the Liberty Stadium where rain and weather still have an impact on the pitch, yet it remains in good condition.

    The Swans play on a Saturday following an Ospreys game the previous night and you would never know unless told!

  • Comment posted by APG, at 08:47 28 Mar 2013

    The ball is rolling now. If we want OUR sport to be a true spectator sport than we are going to have to consider some plastic surgery. This is the professional era and we should be watching elusive running rugby week in week out. Our current pitches don't provide that. They might provide an 'intriguing contest' for the purist, but its not going to appeal

  • Comment posted by User0939324767, at 11:07 28 Mar 2013

    Bring it on. I'm tired of watching mud bath, low scoring games. People want to watch running rugby. End of story.

  • Comment posted by j0hnbev1972, at 10:39 28 Mar 2013

    Hope they do. My premier league club side played against Cardiff RFC on the Arms Park a few weeks back. The pitch was a disgrace, more akin to a beach than a rugby field with the amount of sand on there. So in some ways, using a 4G surface or a semi-artificial surface as they have at the Liberty in Swansea would actually be far closer to a traditional grass pitch than they have now!

  • Comment posted by User0941442694, at 13:46 28 Mar 2013

    I've played on an artificial turf at Murrayfield's back pitches and it was fantastic. Perfectly flat pitch, good bounce of ball and a great high scoring game. I would have them rolled out. Apparently they can be a problem if they are too dry but it's probably much easier to keep them wet and warm than to constantly have to fix broken turf etc.

  • Comment posted by User0001428824, at 20:09 28 Mar 2013

    Why go plastic when you can have a quality grass pitch like, Liberty Stadium, Wembley, Twickenham, Emirates. All these pitches are Desso. 97% grass 3 % synthetic. Quality speaks for itself. In American football, stadiums are reverting back to grass due to the high number of injuries as a result of playing on plastic.

  • Comment posted by User0177364477, at 12:21 28 Mar 2013

    Watched the Blues v Dragons over Christmas , the pitch was terrible the players could not even pass, catch kick etc because of the mud and water. I enjoy the forwards battle but this was a bit of a joke, a lot of supporters were leaving before the end.
    I think this will be a good move for the Blues hopefully the national stadium will do the same as well.

  • Comment posted by User0506775177, at 10:06 28 Mar 2013

    Quite simply (in logical terms) - if it is safe, and there is no additional risk to players from an artifical surface, then this surely would be a good thing?

    However, would it be right? I couldnt ever imagine playing or wathcing rugby played on a plastic pitch, would seem weird

  • Comment posted by ElMagico, at 23:32 28 Mar 2013

    Whatever the Blues do, they cannot afford to leave the Arms Park. I'm a die-hard Scarlets fan, ever since we left Stradey the soul has been ripped out of gamedays. The atmosphere isn't what it was and I truely miss it! It's the same for these other modern stadiums. I loved verything about Stradey, even if you couldn't see every corner of the pitch from the terrace!

  • Comment posted by jels1975, at 08:25 28 Mar 2013

    As Sarries have proved if developed right they guarantee perfect pitch conditions everytime which is what is required to produce exciting running rugby

  • Comment posted by User0338686124, at 15:09 28 Mar 2013

    Rugby is a muddy game that should be played on grass, I value rugby so much for its natural values in an artificial world. Are we really turning rugby artificial?!

  • Comment posted by Dorfl46, at 13:06 28 Mar 2013

    I understood Twickenham was using semi-synthetic already so doesn't seem to result in injury issues

  • Comment posted by JohnnyWAL, at 10:47 29 Mar 2013

    I think the pitch at the liberty is fantastic, allows for a running game but also lets the forwards do their grunt work with scrums mauls etc, personally i love watching running rugby but as a prop i would hate to see scrums and mauls go out of the game, those physical battles can be immense and for me personally as entertaining to watch as a free flowing back line. something has to be done though

  • Comment posted by paddedcell, at 08:56 28 Mar 2013

    Apart from current well-known problems with scrummaging I feel the game needs no major changes.

    Call me a traditionalist but, whilst I love to see running rugby sometimes I really enjoy the intensity of two packs 'at it', often on imperfect surfaces.

    May sound odd but artificial surfaces would kill part of the 'romance', will inevitably change skillsets & ultimately the game itself, imho.

  • Comment posted by User0382447369, at 22:05 28 Mar 2013

    im a traditionalist. i like the fact teams can be tested in various ways, and that all the best made plans can go pear shaped when the weather changes.

    that said, bad pitches are dangerous and the reality is that most fans want to see fast, expansive rugby. you need decent a decent pitch for that.

  • Comment posted by paddedcell, at 09:22 28 Mar 2013

    @10 Mmm, the old 'commercial v organic' growth argument. Here I go with my traditionalist traits again but, no, a wider 'Sky-driven' audience means nothing to me.

    Kids attracted to the game by pom-pom girls, huge salaries, fancy adverts and shirts identified by sponsor logos rather than colour and history?

    Not for me thanks.

    I once enjoyed football too.

  • Comment posted by boofers32, at 22:17 28 Mar 2013

    Rather than invest £500,000 on a new pitch maybe invest it in the team , which would then generate crowds and then allow the blues to fill the new multi million pound stadium they had to leave because they couldn't fill it !! good money after bad !! quality players +quality rugby= Crowds !!

  • Comment posted by Welshwizard5, at 08:30 28 Mar 2013

    Might as well close the comments section. Post 1 sums it up in a nutshell.

  • Comment posted by User0302385138, at 19:59 28 Mar 2013

    I'm a traditionalist on this and see that variability in the pitch is part of the game and you play to the conditions.

    If however we are faced with frequent very wet winters then most natural pitches will cut up into a morass which makes each subsequent game a mudbath. Introducing an artificial element to pitches maybe the only realistic answer.

    If only ordinary clubs could use this technology!

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