Job search
Job Search
Latest news
More news: (showing 1 - 20 of 13741)           
UK only International

RFU tackles weather woes with £57m investment in 100 artificial pitches

By Matthew Campelli    15 Dec 2015
Artificial pitches are being built to avoid weather-related match postponements / Rugby Football Union

The Rugby Football Union (RFU) will invest £57m (US$86.4m, €78.5m) into the development of 100 artificial pitches over the next four-years as it attempts to increase participation.

Money will be spent by the governing body on two types of pitch across the country. Around 60 will be built on sites owned or leased by rugby clubs to be used by the host club and other local clubs at the cost of £47m (US$71.3m, €64.7m), fully funded by the RFU.

A further £10m (US$15.2m, €13.8m) will be spent on part-funding 40 artificial pitches, which will be established on community sites with a guaranteed number of hours allocated for rugby.

Construction will begin shortly, with the first six pitches expected to be operational by September 2016.

Around 60 of the 700 artificial pitches in the UK are rugby-compliant (less than 10 per cent). Rugby-compliant criteria factors in ball bounce, head impact and carpet joint strength. Less than 10 artificial pitches are currently located on community rugby club sites.

Pressure on natural turf pitches, changing player expectations, competition from other sports investing in artificial pitches and changing weather conditions are factors behind the drive.

In the last four-year period, RFU data shows that wetter winters had a “serious impact” on the rugby season, with 1,766 adult games being lost over two weekends in February 2014 alone. More than 600 natural turf pitches remained unplayable for a further three weeks.

During last month’s Rugby Expo at Twickenham, RFU head of club development Simon Winman said that artificial pitches would make the sport more accessible to individuals, particularly in the 16-25 age bracket.

“With changing expectations and aspirations it is clear that rugby, like other sports, needs to provide playing surfaces that meet modern requirements,” said RFU rugby development director Steve Grainger.

“Following Rugby World Cup 2015 there has been an upsurge in interest in rugby, not least from aspiring coaches, referees and young players, and this is an exciting opportunity to further develop our community rugby facilities.”

Sport England’s Active People Survey, published last week (10 December), revealed that rugby union participation grew by 18,000 year-on-year to 191,900 over the 12 months from October 2014 to September 2015.

Sign up for FREE ezines
Related news
Sports jobs

Recreation Assistant (Dry Site)

Everyone Active
Salary: Competitive
Location: Market Rasen

Party Leader

Everyone Active
Salary: Competitive
Location: Gainsborough

Cleaning Assistant

Everyone Active
Salary: Competitive pay rates
Location: Gainsborough

Duty Manager

Everyone Active
Salary: Competitive
Location: Gainsborough

Duty Manager

The Pickaquoy Centre
Salary: £30,000pa + local Govt pension + attractive benefits package
Location: Kirkwall, UK

Team Leader (Harrow School Fitness Club)

Harrow School
Salary: £13.71 per hour
Location: Harrow on the Hill, Harrow, UK

Centre Manager (Leisure)

Exeter City Council
Salary: £40,221 - £42,403pa + pension + benefits
Location: Exeter, UK

Director of Operations

Active Luton
Salary: £61,000 - £64,000 + exceptional pension + excellent benefits
Location: Luton, UK

Fitness Motivator

Everyone Active
Salary: Competitive
Location: Lutterworth
recruiting with sports management

Recreation Assistant/Lifeguard (NPLQ required)

Everyone Active
Salary: 9.50 ph
Location: Lutterworth

Membership Manager

University of Warwick
Salary: £29,605 - £32,982pa + pension + benefits
Location: Coventry, UK

Recreation Assistant

Everyone Active
Salary: Competitive salary
Location: Wigston

Swim Teacher

Everyone Active
Salary: Competitive
Location: Shipston-on-Stour

Swim Teacher

Everyone Active
Salary: Competitive
Location: Shipston-on-Stour

Chief Executive Officer, Mount Batten Centre

Mount Batten Group
Salary: c£65,000pa + pension + benefits
Location: Plymouth, UK

Swimming Teacher

Everyone Active
Salary: Competitive rates of pay
Location: Rickmansworth, UK
recruiting with sports management

Swimming Teacher

Everyone Active
Salary: Competitive rates of pay
Location: Watford, UK
Swimming Teacher jobs  duty manager jobs  Team Leader jobs  Swim Manager jobs  general manager jobs  recreation assistant jobs 
More jobs

Company profile

Company profile: TANITA
TANITA is the founder of Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis (BIA) being the first to bring a body fat analyser to the market.
View full profile >
More company profiles

Featured Supplier

Webinar: Building a new energy future for the leisure sector
As one of the most energy-intensive industries in the UK, leisure facilities face a critical challenge in balancing net zero goals, funding and increased costs.
View full details >
More featured suppliers

Property & Tenders

Location: Loughton, IG10
Company: Knight Frank
Location: Grantham, Leicestershire
Company: Belvoir Castle
Location: Verwood, Dorset
Company: AVISON YOUNG
Location: Hall Place House, Bexley, DA5 1PQ
Company: London Borough of Bexley
Location: 15 Concessions across the nation's forests
Company: Forestry England
More properties & tenders

Diary dates

10-12 May 2024
China Import & Export Fair Complex, Guangzhou, China
23-24 May 2024
Large Hall of the Chamber of Commerce (Erbprinzenpalais), Wiesbaden, Germany
30 May - 02 Jun 2024
Rimini Exhibition Center, Rimini, Italy
08-08 Jun 2024
Worldwide, Various
More diary dates