“IT’S GOOD FOR the backs, but I’m not sure if the big lads like Mike Ross like it as much!”
So joked Leinster wing Fergus McFadden when asked for his thoughts on the Cardiff Blues’ 3G synthetic pitch, pointing to the increased speed at which the game is played on the innovative surface.
Leinster happily ran in four tries to secure victory at Cardiff Arms Park last weekend, but Anthony Foley’s Munster face an even more difficult task on Saturday as they travel to take on Saracens on Allianz Park’s 3G surface.
Saracens have been extremely effective at Allianz Park. Andrew Matthews
Andrew Matthews
The Premiership club were very much first aboard in regard to this particular development, having unveiled their artificial pitch in January 2013. Mark McCall’s side have won 29 of their 32 games at Allianz Park since.
This season alone, Sarries have scored 33 tries in eight competitive fixtures at the North London stadium, although 11 of those scores came in a single Premiership game against struggling London Welsh.
The fact that Saracens are a very good rugby team means their home record would likely be impressive even if they had a regular grass pitch, but the advantage of playing on the synthetic pitch every second week is clear, not to mention training on it regularly.
Munster have been using the 4G surface at the University of Limerick in recent weeks in order to aid their preparation for this Champions Cup clash, while Leinster regularly use the synthetic pitch at Donnybrook as a training base.
“It’ll be a bit different, to be honest,” says Munster head coach Anthony Foley of the task ahead. “But we’ve obviously trained down in UL [over] a couple of weeks now. We played Cardiff, trained down below… the pitch is quicker.”
Quicker game
The naked eye does suggest that rugby on these artificial pitches is faster, an idea the statistics firmly underline.
“If you look at the stats of the matches that are played on synthetic pitches, the ball is in play a lot longer,” says Leinster assistant coach Marco Caputo in relation to Cardiff’s facility.
“The GPS numbers – as far as running [distances and speeds] and collisions, things like that – are significantly higher and you do have to prepare differently. It’s definitely a factor.”
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Leinster played on Cardiff's 3G pitch last weekend. Ian Cook / INPHO
Ian Cook / INPHO / INPHO
As McFadden indicated above, that truth is a happy one for the majority of backline players, and the likes of wings Chris Ashton and David Strettle have prospered at Allianz Park as Saracens’ tactics have adapted to fully take advantage of the increased pace.
Sarries’ big ball carriers help them to generate swift forward momentum, whereafter their increased willingness to pass the ball into wide channels becomes hugely effective.
In terms of the forwards’ contributions, Paul O’Connell says “scrummaging will be a small bit different,” and this is another area where Saracens appear to have some advantage.
How different can scrummaging on the synthetic pitch be? With increased grip, the numbers identify fewer collapsed scrums, but individual players have had difficulties in adapting.
Hookers have a particularly difficult adaptation from grass to fibre-grass, given the unique demands on them at scrum time.
“You’re not able to move your feet as much once you’re engaged,” explains Leinster’s Sean Cronin, perhaps indicating why he had initial difficulties with hooking the ball against Cardiff last weekend.
Munster’s front row will feel their UL testing ground has them well prepared and Munster fullback Felix Jones reports back that he’s been informed the synthetic ground “is good for scrummaging.”
Bouncing ball
One of the potential issues Munster have identified this week is the bouncing ball on what is a firmer surface.
There were a number of examples of the bouncing ball during Sarries' clash with Clermont earlier this season. Inpho / Billy Stickland
Inpho / Billy Stickland / Billy Stickland
“From my point of view, in terms of grass cover, if you let a ball bounce on it, it can take a hard bounce and go in any direction – that would be the main difference,” says Jones.
Head coach Foley echoes that sentiment:
“You look at the try Saracens scored against Clermont where the ball was kicked in behind [Zac] Guildford and [Nick] Adendanon,” says Foley.
“The ball just bounced the other way and they picked it up and ran in under the posts. That’s not just an isolated incident, that happens a lot. So it’s important that we understand the kicking game and understand that the ball will move a bit differently and we need to react quicker.”
Saracens, meanwhile, are more than accustomed to how the oval ball bounces on the Allianz Park yarn. In a sport of tiny margins, McCall’s men certainly have a number of conditions that are favourable to achieving the desired end of a fourth Champions Cup victory of the season.
However, when all is said and done, Foley is characteristically keen to downplay the effect the pitch at Allianz Park will have on Saturday afternoon.
“It’s just playing on a surface that allows them to play a bit quicker. It’s important that you recognise that, don’t read in to the surface too much and just get on with it.”
The future
Newcastle Falcons became the second Premiership side to install a 3G synthetic surface last year, while other clubs in England and the wider world are investigating the possibility.
Donnybrook’s pitch is the prime example of an artificial surface in Irish rugby, being identical to the one at Allianz Park.
Pride Sports and Leisure were the company who carried out the installation in Donnybrook, and Managing Director David Fry says the feedback has been wholly positive. This is the way of the future.
Donnybrook's pristine surface has garnered positive feedback. James Crombie / INPHO
James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO
“All the information says it’s safer than natural grass, a faster game, and forwards prefer to scrummage on it because they’re getting more consistency,” outlines Fry.
“Speaking to the Leinster players, they see it as a faster game, which will lead in time to quicker handling. I would think down the line that the future rugby players that play on synthetic surfaces will be playing a different type of game.”
With the Leinster schools competitions already underway, Donnybrook is seeing much action and Fry expects the coming months to be an eye-opener in terms of the increased pace and quality of the rugby, which will “ultimately call for fitter teams.”
Given that a synthetic pitch is up to €50,000 less expensive than a grass surface in terms of maintenance each year, there is increasing interest and Fry is “confident that another five pitches will go on the ground this year in rugby.”
A further advantage is that synthetic pitches can handle 40 hours per week of training time, whereas a grass pitch can handle considerably fewer, particularly in the winter months.
“Gaelic is our biggest market and has been for the last number of years,” says Fry, but rugby may be an increasingly active market as more schools, universities and clubs turn to synthetic surfaces.
Saracens, Newcastle and Cardiff have started the trend in the professional game and it remains to be seen how many follow them in the near future.
How big an advantage will Saracens' synthetic pitch be against Munster?
“IT’S GOOD FOR the backs, but I’m not sure if the big lads like Mike Ross like it as much!”
So joked Leinster wing Fergus McFadden when asked for his thoughts on the Cardiff Blues’ 3G synthetic pitch, pointing to the increased speed at which the game is played on the innovative surface.
Leinster happily ran in four tries to secure victory at Cardiff Arms Park last weekend, but Anthony Foley’s Munster face an even more difficult task on Saturday as they travel to take on Saracens on Allianz Park’s 3G surface.
The Premiership club were very much first aboard in regard to this particular development, having unveiled their artificial pitch in January 2013. Mark McCall’s side have won 29 of their 32 games at Allianz Park since.
This season alone, Sarries have scored 33 tries in eight competitive fixtures at the North London stadium, although 11 of those scores came in a single Premiership game against struggling London Welsh.
The fact that Saracens are a very good rugby team means their home record would likely be impressive even if they had a regular grass pitch, but the advantage of playing on the synthetic pitch every second week is clear, not to mention training on it regularly.
Munster have been using the 4G surface at the University of Limerick in recent weeks in order to aid their preparation for this Champions Cup clash, while Leinster regularly use the synthetic pitch at Donnybrook as a training base.
“It’ll be a bit different, to be honest,” says Munster head coach Anthony Foley of the task ahead. “But we’ve obviously trained down in UL [over] a couple of weeks now. We played Cardiff, trained down below… the pitch is quicker.”
Quicker game
The naked eye does suggest that rugby on these artificial pitches is faster, an idea the statistics firmly underline.
“If you look at the stats of the matches that are played on synthetic pitches, the ball is in play a lot longer,” says Leinster assistant coach Marco Caputo in relation to Cardiff’s facility.
“The GPS numbers – as far as running [distances and speeds] and collisions, things like that – are significantly higher and you do have to prepare differently. It’s definitely a factor.”
As McFadden indicated above, that truth is a happy one for the majority of backline players, and the likes of wings Chris Ashton and David Strettle have prospered at Allianz Park as Saracens’ tactics have adapted to fully take advantage of the increased pace.
Sarries’ big ball carriers help them to generate swift forward momentum, whereafter their increased willingness to pass the ball into wide channels becomes hugely effective.
In terms of the forwards’ contributions, Paul O’Connell says “scrummaging will be a small bit different,” and this is another area where Saracens appear to have some advantage.
How different can scrummaging on the synthetic pitch be? With increased grip, the numbers identify fewer collapsed scrums, but individual players have had difficulties in adapting.
Hookers have a particularly difficult adaptation from grass to fibre-grass, given the unique demands on them at scrum time.
“You’re not able to move your feet as much once you’re engaged,” explains Leinster’s Sean Cronin, perhaps indicating why he had initial difficulties with hooking the ball against Cardiff last weekend.
Munster’s front row will feel their UL testing ground has them well prepared and Munster fullback Felix Jones reports back that he’s been informed the synthetic ground “is good for scrummaging.”
Bouncing ball
One of the potential issues Munster have identified this week is the bouncing ball on what is a firmer surface.
“From my point of view, in terms of grass cover, if you let a ball bounce on it, it can take a hard bounce and go in any direction – that would be the main difference,” says Jones.
Head coach Foley echoes that sentiment:
“You look at the try Saracens scored against Clermont where the ball was kicked in behind [Zac] Guildford and [Nick] Adendanon,” says Foley.
“The ball just bounced the other way and they picked it up and ran in under the posts. That’s not just an isolated incident, that happens a lot. So it’s important that we understand the kicking game and understand that the ball will move a bit differently and we need to react quicker.”
Saracens, meanwhile, are more than accustomed to how the oval ball bounces on the Allianz Park yarn. In a sport of tiny margins, McCall’s men certainly have a number of conditions that are favourable to achieving the desired end of a fourth Champions Cup victory of the season.
However, when all is said and done, Foley is characteristically keen to downplay the effect the pitch at Allianz Park will have on Saturday afternoon.
“It’s just playing on a surface that allows them to play a bit quicker. It’s important that you recognise that, don’t read in to the surface too much and just get on with it.”
The future
Newcastle Falcons became the second Premiership side to install a 3G synthetic surface last year, while other clubs in England and the wider world are investigating the possibility.
Donnybrook’s pitch is the prime example of an artificial surface in Irish rugby, being identical to the one at Allianz Park.
Pride Sports and Leisure were the company who carried out the installation in Donnybrook, and Managing Director David Fry says the feedback has been wholly positive. This is the way of the future.
“All the information says it’s safer than natural grass, a faster game, and forwards prefer to scrummage on it because they’re getting more consistency,” outlines Fry.
“Speaking to the Leinster players, they see it as a faster game, which will lead in time to quicker handling. I would think down the line that the future rugby players that play on synthetic surfaces will be playing a different type of game.”
With the Leinster schools competitions already underway, Donnybrook is seeing much action and Fry expects the coming months to be an eye-opener in terms of the increased pace and quality of the rugby, which will “ultimately call for fitter teams.”
Given that a synthetic pitch is up to €50,000 less expensive than a grass surface in terms of maintenance each year, there is increasing interest and Fry is “confident that another five pitches will go on the ground this year in rugby.”
A further advantage is that synthetic pitches can handle 40 hours per week of training time, whereas a grass pitch can handle considerably fewer, particularly in the winter months.
“Gaelic is our biggest market and has been for the last number of years,” says Fry, but rugby may be an increasingly active market as more schools, universities and clubs turn to synthetic surfaces.
Saracens, Newcastle and Cardiff have started the trend in the professional game and it remains to be seen how many follow them in the near future.
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Allianz Park Artificial European Rugby Champions Cup Munster Pitch Saracens