We're getting a little more rainfall and a little less heat than the rest of England, as usual, but our unusually dry rugby pitches are still in desperate need of water and with drought conditions forecast to continue for several more weeks, there are a few things for clubs, players and coaches to consider.
Player safety is paramount and clubs must assess whether a pitch is safe to use before training sessions. To help mitigate the risks and to make the most of any rain that does occur, check out these links to RFU guidance:
- Pitch Management in Drought Conditions https://rfu.widen.net/s/b5sqmqsjvd/managing-drought-guidance-doc
- Assessing Pitch Safety https://help.rfu.com/support/solutions/articles/103000409950-how-to-assess-the-safety-of-a-natural-turf-pitch
- Activate Injury Prevention Programme https://www.englandrugby.com/run/player-welfare/activate