Northern Edition

Select Edition

Northern Northern
Southern Southern
Global Global
New Zealand New Zealand
France France

4G pitches strike again, this time the victim is Ben Curry

Allianz Park has come under fire for its artificial surface.

Sale Sharks may have come away with an impressive 36-17 victory over Saracens on Saturday, but that did not stop Allianz Park taking another victim.

ADVERTISEMENT

Sale’s Ben Curry suffered grazes down his leg from the 4G pitch, something that a number of other players have experienced in the past when playing on the artificial pitches of Saracens and other clubs like the Glasgow Warriors.

Continue reading below…

Video Spacer

Curry shared the photo on Twitter, also tagging the Rugby Players Association in the post, possibly in an attempt to raise more awareness of the injuries that are sustained on the surface.

This is what he shared:

https://twitter.com/BenCurry98/status/1178227884181397507?s=20

Artificial pitches have a number of positives, particularly in facilitating a quicker and more attractive brand of rugby, but Curry is not the first player to share images of their legs or arms torn apart from the surface.

Northampton Saints’ Alex Mitchell shared equally unpleasant pictures last season after his side’s visit to Allianz Park, alongside the caption “Say no to these 4G pitches,” once again tagging the RPA in the post. 

Mitchell’s teammate Fraser Dingwall also shared a photo of his foot in a protective boot after that match, suggesting injuries are not exclusively confined to grazes on the skin. 

ADVERTISEMENT

While there is the risk of injuries to joints on 4G pitches, that is an inherent risk on any surface in rugby, although some players do feel at greater risk on the artificial surface. However, a more pressing concern to players seems to be the gruesome burns from the pitches, something that players seem to be flagging to the RPA to do something about.

This was an impressive win for the Sharks in the Premiership Rugby Cup, although the players would rather avoid the battle scars.

ADVERTISEMENT

LIVE

{{item.title}}

Trending on RugbyPass

Comments

0 Comments
Be the first to comment...

Join free and tell us what you really think!

Sign up for free
ADVERTISEMENT

Latest Features

Comments on RugbyPass

M
MA 16 minutes ago
How the four-team format will help the Wallabies defeat the Lions

In regards to Mack Hansen, Tuipoloto and others who talent wasnt 'seen'..

If we look at acting, soccer and cricket as examples, Hugh Jackman, the Heminsworths in acting; Keith Urban in Nashville, Mike Hussey and various cricketers who played in UK and made the Australian team; and many soccer players playing overseas.


My opinion is that perhaps the ' 'potential' or latent talent is there, but it's just below the surface.


ANd that decision, as made by Tane Edmed, Noah, Will Skelton to go overseas is the catalyst to activate the latent and bring it to the surface.


Based on my personal experience of leaving Oz and spending 14 months o/s, I was fully away from home and all usual support systems and past memories that reminded me of the past.


Ooverseas, they weren't there. I had t o survive, I could invent myself as who I wanted, and there was no one to blame but me.


It bought me alive, focused my efforts towards what I wanted and people largely accepted me for who I was and how I turned up.


So my suggestion is to make overseas scholarships for younger players and older too so they can benefit from the value offered by overseas coaching acumen, established systems, higher intensity competition which like the pressure that turns coal into diamonds, can produce more Skeltons, Arnold's, Kellaways and the like.


After the Lion's tour say, create 20 x $10,000 scholarships for players to travel and play overseas.


Set up a HECS style arrangement if necessary to recycle these funds ongoingly.


Ooverseas travel, like parenthood or difficult life situations brings out people's physical and emotional strengths in my own experiences, let's use it in rugby.

67 Go to comments
LONG READ
LONG READ Joel Merkler: Meet the colossal Spaniard playing with Antoine Dupont's Toulouse Joel Merkler: Meet the colossal Spaniard playing with Antoine Dupont's Toulouse
Search