Business

New hybrid pitch installed at Aviva ahead of Italy clash

Surface is 95% grass with synthetic fibres added to speed up pitch recovery

The new pitch being laid at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin

Wed Aug 7 2019 - 10:49

Irish-owned SIS Pitches has installed a hybrid pitch at the Aviva Stadium ahead of the Ireland rugby squad World Cup warm-up match against Italy on Saturday.

SISGrass is a 95 per cent natural grass pitch that has synthetic fibres inserted into the turf to help provide more playing hours and faster pitch recovery.

The surface, which took four days to lay, is the first new pitch at the Aviva in six years.

SIS Pitches is also working to install a similar pitch at Páirc Uí Chaoimh in Cork ahead of the 2020 Allianz Leagues.

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The company's surfaces have been used at a number of major sporting tournament recently including the Europa League Finals, UEFA Champions League, 2019 Africa Cup of Nations, 2018 World Cup, 2018 Club World Cup, AFC Asian Cup, European Rugby Champions Cup Final and the 2019 Rugby World Cup.

SIS Pitches recently invested €2 million in a new turf production facility in the UK to support its growth plans as it targets €65 million turnover this year.

Founded in 2001, the company employs more than 420 staff with offices in Ireland, the UK, Turkey, Russia, the Middle East and Angola.

The company’s pitches are licensed by Fifa and a preferred turf producer of World Rugby. It also manufactures GAA-approved surfaces.

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