Article posted on therhinos.co.uk a few weeks ago.

The Headingley Carnegie groundstaff have been trying to rectify the damage caused by the winter weather ahead of the new engage Super League season.
Leeds Rhinos will play their first home game of the new season on Friday 5th February against Castleford Tigers and Head Groundman Jason Booth has asked fans for understanding when they look at the state of the pitch at present.

In order to get the Cravendale Festive Challenge and Matt Diskin’s testimonial game on the pitch was twice cleared of heavy snowfall during the height of the winter freeze. Whilst both games went ahead successfully the damage done is now been dealt with by the groundstaff.

This week 20 tonnes of sand have been spread on the pitch and a 14 inch vertidrain spike has been used to try and stabilize the pitch following the wet and cold weather.

Commenting on the pitch Booth said, “Our priority is to make sure that games go ahead on the pitch. Whilst the pitch may not look too pretty at the moment unfortunately that is a side effect of the recent weather that we will have to live with for the time being.

“We have put 20 tonnes of sand on this week to firm up the pitch but what we really need now are for the temperatures to rise or for some sunny days or ideally both however that is something we are not going to get at this time of year. We have had one sunny day in January and temperatures will not rise until at least the end of February.

“You have to appreciate that from December 21st and up to, and including, Matt Diskin‘s testimonial, the pitch had only seen daylight for one day other than a matchday because it was covered in frost and rain sheets. That made sure that the games went ahead but it is not conducive to a great playing surface. At this time of year, grass is dormant so we are left with trying to make the surface as firm as possible to play rugby on,” added Booth.

For the last two years IIRC. It's a all-sport competition as well beating golf courses and roundball pitches too.

Quote ="vastman"Since when?'" Read it and weep........ www.therhinos.co.uk/news/8247.php especially if you're a Leeds fan of a certain vintage

Quote ="vastman"Since when?'" Read it and weep........ www.therhinos.co.uk/news/8247.php especially if you're a Leeds fan of a certain vintage

Thanks Tvoc

[url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/leeds/hi/people_and_places/nature/newsid_8401000/8401588.stmThis BBC article says[/url



so the ground is so good people pay to find out how we manage it!

Thanks hopie4ever

That's another interesting article, especially this bit:

[iBooth said: "The lines between the (weather) seasons have become very blurred in recent years. In my 20 years of groundskeeping, I have never had to cut grass in December, however we cut the pitch twice before our recent game - Carnegie v Harlequins."[/i

I'd be interested to know what would have happened had the grass not been cut twice in December prior to playing rugby union on it? Grass doesn't grow in December anyway in McLaren Field's back garden.

Keith Boyce could tell us.

It certainly doesn't up here on the ice cap, might be something to do with the dog though, I could arrange for a bin liner full to be delivered to Headingley later on this week if they wish to try it ?