Ulster v Hairyqueens

[Cap'n Grumpy]

So out of curiosity what is your view on UR not putting down the ground cover in advance
of the predicted frozen/snowy weather? Do you think the grounds man didn’t do it because he knew it would rain and everything would be alright? Or because he was an ass?

Moi?

To put down the covers would have been 8 days before match day. I have seen those covers, and contrary to Baggy's assertion that they are like bin liners, they are quite heavy duty jobbies.

If those were needed for 7-8 days, I would suggest (but I'm no expert) that they would do considerable damage to the grass in that time. They would have obscured the light - totally - and upon removal, the grass would in my opinion be considerably etiolated.That is before you consider possible fungal infections of the soil from the change in oxygenation at the surface.

All of that would have been a worthwhile price to pay/risk if the cold snap was to last for a week, but given that the forecast, even allowing for a day or three margin of error suggested to me that the covers would be unnecessary. I would expect the snow to provide an insulation on the ground to prevent freezing and of course it does allow penetration of light and gases so no etiolation or potential fungal infections. That could have caused a problem for the pitch for many weeks or even months.

The problem comes when you get rain followed by another freeze as happened last night as that allows water to penetrate to the surface and then freeze - but (for me) that was a risk worth taking -probably less than the risks from covering for a week. Now the rain is here and no more (apparent) risk of freezing, it looks as if all should be good for Friday night.

Of course you are correct that if the match was for tonight, it would not have been playable, but then it never was about tonight. If it were, the covers would have been a no-brainer.

Of course, my thoughts on this are irrelevant - it is the consideration of the groundstaff that is important. If we got caught out as happened before, they would rightly be castigated, but maybe I just prefer to wait until something happens before casting blame instead of doing so before hand and suggesting they got lucky.

It may be they did actually get lucky, or it may be they had it worked out to a tee. We'll never know .... but I've no doubt that some will still say they got lucky ....

You asked for an opinion - you got one, but as I say, I'm no expert. Then again I suspect that few on this forum are ..... on this particular issue.

[Russ]

Is this even a bitcoin discussion forum?

Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk

[Rooster]

Sounds like poor quality covers then as if they were good ones they would allow light through, ie transparent covers, but they are more expensive than black.
Secondly the Italians manage quite well to cover their pitches for long periods not as you describe for a full 8 days but by covering each evening before temperature falls then roll them back as soon as temperature is above freezing and continue like that for the winter during cold spells, I have witnessed them uncovering and covering a pitch again before and after a match and they are pretty efficient at it and just leave the covers at the side fence.
Anyway trust all is well and they have got lucky that the frost of last night was not as severe as forecast and the rest of the week is now forecast warmer than it was on Monday.

[Cap'n Grumpy]

Maybe they're not as heavy as I thought them to be - they looked heavy enough to me when I saw them soon after they were bought. As I say, I'm no expert and I have no inside knowledge from UR. Certainly they weren't "black bin bags" - couldn't have stood up to putting them on and off the pitch if they were.

FWIW, the grass in my own garden was soft as a baby's bum under 4 inches of snow, even when the surface of the snow was crisp and frozen. Any reason for me to suspect that Ravenspan a dozen miles or so away would have been any different?

[BaggyTrousers]

Will Cave finally get a start now Tommy is out injured?

I think you will find FOLK will find an alternative, after all, he'd hardly want to give Darren his 200th cap in front of a home crowd. He'll not want any fuss over a player he clearly wants shot of. I wonder how GLU is feeling at present?

[Cap'n Grumpy]

Anyway trust all is well and they have got lucky that the frost of last night was not as severe as forecast and the rest of the week is now forecast warmer than it was on Monday.

I said I have no inside knowledge, and that is true this time around. However after the last episode, I was told that pitch temperature readings are taken (from memory) at least three (???) times each day EVERY day using precisely calibrated thermometers.

I know from someone else who did a groundsman's course (not rugby, but I suspect the same principle applies) that temperature measurements should be compared to known temperatures as measured by meteorology stations and then local variations (Ravenspan micro-climate?) can be assessed and planned for.

I presume, but do not know for sure that UR would do the same - if they do, then maybe its only to be expected that they get lucky from time to time.

[Cap'n Grumpy]

Will Cave finally get a start now Tommy is out injured?

Is Ethyl fit?

If so, I suspect she would play before Cave these days, whatever Darren's done to LK.

[big mervyn]

Will Cave finally get a start now Tommy is out injured?

Is Ethyl fit?

I don't like ethyl and I don't like glycol ether.

[Cap'n Grumpy]

Will Cave finally get a start now Tommy is out injured?

Is Ethyl fit?

I don't like ethel and I don't like glycol ether.

One makes good tea (apparently) and the other would make a good anti-freeze, but not sure either would help the grass.

[Rooster]

Anyway trust all is well and they have got lucky that the frost of last night was not as severe as forecast and the rest of the week is now forecast warmer than it was on Monday.

I said I have no inside knowledge, and that is true this time around. However after the last episode, I was told that pitch temperature readings are taken (from memory) at least three (???) times each day EVERY day using precisely calibrated thermometers.

I know from someone else who did a groundsman's course (not rugby, but I suspect the same principle applies) that temperature measurements should be compared to known temperatures as measured by meteorology stations and then local variations (Ravenspan micro-climate?) can be assessed and planned for.

I presume, but do not know for sure that UR would do the same - if they do, then maybe its only to be expected that they get lucky from time to time.

There is plenty of automated gear around to measure temperatures and soil moisture levels, it is used for irrigation and fertilizing as well, wet soil is colder and more susceptible to freezing. It is a simple matter of finding the coldest part of the pitch, I would hazard a guess down near Memorial stand at the Posh stand/Terrace side and run the anti freezing strategy from that point.
One of the best ways of maintaining soil temperature is a good covering of grass and over the past number of years there has been a trend towards cutting shorter which in effect looks tidier but also leaves it more susceptible to wet and frost during the winter, just my humble thoughts on the situation as a former instructor with The Irish Institute of Sport Surfaces.

Anyway back to the match and will Kiss decide to change the team around this week just for the sake of it, Tommy will be one change then again it is doubtful that Tommy should even have started last week anyway.

[Cap'n Grumpy]

I'm no expert. Then again I suspect that few on this forum are ..... on this particular issue.

.... just my humble thoughts on the situation as a former instructor with The Irish Institute of Sport Surfaces.

There's always one.

[Cockatrice]

Anyway trust all is well and they have got lucky that the frost of last night was not as severe as forecast and the rest of the week is now forecast warmer than it was on Monday.

I said I have no inside knowledge, and that is true this time around. However after the last episode, I was told that pitch temperature readings are taken (from memory) at least three (???) times each day EVERY day using precisely calibrated thermometers.

I know from someone else who did a groundsman's course (not rugby, but I suspect the same principle applies) that temperature measurements should be compared to known temperatures as measured by meteorology stations and then local variations (Ravenspan micro-climate?) can be assessed and planned for.

I presume, but do not know for sure that UR would do the same - if they do, then maybe its only to be expected that they get lucky from time to time.

There is plenty of automated gear around to measure temperatures and soil moisture levels, it is used for irrigation and fertilizing as well, wet soil is colder and more susceptible to freezing. It is a simple matter of finding the coldest part of the pitch, I would hazard a guess down near Memorial stand at the Posh stand/Terrace side and run the anti freezing strategy from that point.
One of the best ways of maintaining soil temperature is a good covering of grass and over the past number of years there has been a trend towards cutting shorter which in effect looks tidier but also leaves it more susceptible to wet and frost during the winter, just my humble thoughts on the situation as a former instructor with The Irish Institute of Sport Surfaces.

Anyway back to the match and will Kiss decide to change the team around this week just for the sake of it, Tommy will be one change then again it is doubtful that Tommy should even have started last week anyway.

rooster... do you ever remember the use of straw as an insulating layer I believe it was quite common back in the day.... and (rooster) say you told one of your employees to do something that needed done and that it had to be done by close of business the next day before the on-set of extreme weather conditions which was likely to impact on your business... and say they left that work un-done and those extreme weather conditions land on you... would you have a word with them?

anyway is Cave due a game?

[Dave]

Is this even a bitcoin discussion forum?

Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk

+1

[Dave]

Here is an idea. Weather gives frost put the covers on. Then take them off.

[Cap'n Grumpy]

So .... wot yer saying is that Darren Cave didn't put the straw down on the pitch last week?

Even though Rooster asked him to?

The penny drops