The heaviest rugby pitch in Europe
Saracens Rugby Union club kicked off their AVIVA Premiership defence by playing on the heaviest rugby pitch in Europe. Installed by SIS Pitches.
The new surface at Allianz Park weighs in at 38kg per m2 making it the heaviest synthetic rugby pitch in Europe, and another big step forward in synthetic turf technology.
The reigning Aviva Premiership and European Rugby Champions Cup holders started the defence of their AVIVA Premiership title with a 27-12 win against Northampton Saints in front of a packed Allianz Park.
Fast and safe playing surface
The pitch now features a larger sized recycled infill, which helps promote better drainage and less compaction than the current pitch. This helps provide a fast and safe playing surface, perfect for top level rugby and midweek community use.
The new SISTurf system is an upgrade by SIS Pitches 3½ years after our original pitch installation at Allianz Park. During this time Saracens have won the Aviva Premiership twice and European Champions Cup and LV Cup once.
Recycling the old pitch
We’re delighted to be working with the best Rugby Union team in Europe. Since the first surface was laid at Allianz Park, Saracens have achieved huge success domestically and in Europe. The current pitch meets World Rugby’s vigorous performance standards and the new surface will be even more advanced.
Bryn Lee, Managing Director at SIS Pitches
The existing pitch will now be carefully lifted ready for installation elsewhere, and despite over 350 matches, an estimated 7,750 hours of community use and almost half a million spectators walking on the pitch after matches, the surface we laid still has plenty of life left in it.
“Whilst our priority is to provide the best possible playing surface for our home Aviva Premiership Rugby and European fixtures (which the SISTurf surface allows us to do), Saracens has also always been known for its community focus. Having the SISTurf pitch helps us provide users, young and old, from our community, access to the facility and surface for their training and fixtures. The aim is to embrace the community and encourage a sense of affiliation to Saracens, something the SISTurf pitch is a huge part of”
Richard Gregg, Stadium Director, Saracens