Dickinson: Tests should be played on grass

Scotland prop Alasdair Dickinson does not believe the grass will be greener for international rugby if more Tests are played on artificial surfaces.

The Dark Blues will face Tonga at Kilmarnock’s Rugby Park on Saturday in the first ever full international to be played on a plastic pitch. Dickinson has no problem using the £500,000 3G turf on a one-off basis but the Edinburgh forward does not think it should be rolled out permanently for big clashes involving the world’s top sides.

The 31-year-old said: “It’s going to be pretty quick so I hope I don’t get caught one-on-one with a winger. I’ve only played down at Cardiff on their artificial pitch and it was fine. I quite enjoyed it. I’ve been down at Kilmarnock to look at their pitch and it looks awesome. It will be great for the rugby. Does this sort of thing have a future at international level? Well if you had asked me that last year when the Murrayfield pitch was in the state it was, I’d have said yes.