Surface water problems will be fixed, say IRFU

IRFU chiefs have pledged that surface water problems at Lansdowne Road will be rectified by a new two-phase drainage system.

Record rainfall over the past six weeks has led to concerns about the ability of the new pitch at Lansdowne Road to clear surface water. The pitch looked less than healthy during last weekend’s test against Australia, with the IRFU accepting that the new pitch is not able to percolate the volumes of water quickly enough to avoid water logging.

IRFU chief executive Philip Browne explained: “At present the first phase of the two-phased drainage system being installed allows only for the first phase main drainage being laid on a five-metre grid across the pitch, and without the secondary stage gravel slits, the current volumes of water cannot discharge quickly enough. When the secondary gravel drainage slits are installed in 2003, on a one-metre grid pattern, the pitch will then be capable of removing any excess volumes of rainfall that occurs.”