Loughborough University unveil new artificial turf rugby field

The Client - Loughborough University

Loughborough Students Rugby Football Club, the first university team to be admitted to the RFU National League, was striving to climb up to National League 1. To achieve this, you need an elite playing surface to play on.

The Background

Loughborough University aimed to upgrade the First XV field with a synthetic surface to improve playing conditions, increase playing time, and enhance crowd-hosting facilities. The field needed to meet the high-performance standards required for competitive rugby while benefiting players across the university.

The Brief

The club required a durable, fast artificial surface to accommodate their rugby style while ensuring player comfort. The solution needed to deliver consistent performance regardless of weather conditions and withstand extensive use, with ongoing maintenance to keep the field in optimal condition.

What We Did

At the First XV field, SIS Pitches designed and installed the SIS Grass Synthetic Rugger 65 synthetic grass surface. Key features of the project included:

The same field technology is used by the Newcastle Falcons at Kingston Park.
A specially designed yarn offering optimum pile recovery and durability, reinforced with glass fiber to increase playing time.
Additives for surface softness to enhance player comfort and minimise grazes.
SIS Pitches provides maintenance services to ensure the surface remains in peak condition.

The upgraded facilities also improved crowd-hosting capabilities to support the club’s growing fanbase.

The Outcome

The new field has significantly boosted Loughborough Students Rugby Football Club’s chances in National League 1. Dave Morris, Director of Rugby, praised the installation:

“The new artificial surface should suit our style of rugby as the field is fast and very consistent in terms of foot placement and the way the ball reacts, regardless of the weather. In a wider context across campus, the pitch can now be used extensively, much to the benefit of players across the whole spectrum of rugby.”

Dave Morris, Director of Rugby, Loughborough University

Ian Woodhouse, Project Manager, expressed satisfaction with the project:

“We will have no hesitation in employing SIS Pitches on future projects and recommending them for similar tasks. I look forward to working with SIS Pitches again; it was a pleasure working with Jon and his team, who demonstrated a positive ‘can and will do’ approach throughout. In conclusion, my thanks to the SIS Pitches team for their contribution to making this project the success that it is.”

Ian Woodhouse, Project Manager, Loughborough University

The new field sets Loughborough University up for a bright future, benefitting players across the university while supporting the First XV team’s ambitions in the RFU National League.

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