The international between the Barbarians and South Africa will go ahead as scheduled at Twickenham on Saturday, despite the current cold weather.
With a host of domestic club games, scheduled for this weekend, already called off because of the frosty conditions and heavy snowfall, there were fears the Twickenham encounter may also fall foul of the weather.
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However, the pitch has been covered by the Twickenham ground staff since last Saturday, November 27 – when the Boks beat England 21-11 at the same venue.
The Rugby Football Union said in a statement on Thursday that the pitch is in “excellent condition”.
English Premiership games scheduled for this weekend called off include Sale versus Gloucester and Newcastle against Bath. In the Celtic League a host of games have already been cancelled – Connacht versus Aironi, Ulster against Newport Gwent Dragons and Glasgow Warriors versus Treviso.
The RFU advised fans to allow extra time for their journey to the Twickenham stadium and those arriving by train should check their travel plans via the Southwest Trains website.
Australia utility back Matt Giteau will captain the Barbarians.
The 28-year-old will be making his third appearance in four years for the BaaBaas, but will skipper the side for the first time.
Italy prop Salvatore Perugini and Wales flank Martyn Williams are also included in the starting XV, alongside two uncapped players.
Chiefs No.8 Colin Bourke and Western Province second row Anton van Zyl have been included in the pack, with the latter given a chance to face his countrymen.
South Africa have named a strong side, and have called on two replacements to join the squad due to injuries. The players are Andries Strauss and Werner Kruger.
Watched a bit of some or other European Soccer match last night, where there was snow on the pitch… the ball just dies on the pitch, no untoward skidding… and it makes it damn difficult.
Twickers pitch is covered, has been for the whole week…. but what if it snows during the actual match?
@ grootblousmile:
If it snows, the Southern Hemisphere boys will start to play snowballs!!
@ Blue Bird:
If it snows 4man will take the ‘Nomads’ off for another warming beer or two……..
Oh yes, from an English perspective re the Soccer World Cup….
We got the Olympics, can’t be greedy now can we? 🙂
“With the threat of bad weather for the whole week we covered the pitch after the England v South Africa game on Saturday night. We are using a McCloud Cover. This is a series of waterproof sheets that zip together to form a cover that covers the whole pitch,” said Kent.
“There is an inflatable tube laid lengthways down the pitch with the cover going on top. We can inflate the tube to a height of 6mtrs, which lifts the cover off the ground, allowing the air to circulate. As soon as the air temperature outside drops to around freezing point we then blow hot air into the tube, which has vents in it and we heat the air inside the cover.
“We blow hot air in the dome as well, so that this week when the outside temperature was minus 4 we had a temperature of plus 3 inside the dome. The pitch was cut and rolled and the posts taken down last Saturday night before we covered the pitch.
“Early Saturday morning, depending on the air temperature, we will deflate the cover and remove it. The pitch is in fantastic condition.”
in India a number of books have been created on this same subject & they are all worth reading,specialy for the young generation who need to face it latter in existence.
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