PLANS for a state-of-the-art all-weather rugby facility in the Forest have been unveiled as the RFU revealed their intention to spend £850,000 on an artificial pitch in Drybrook.
The pitch will be one of 60 sites across the country installed, owned and managed by the RFU in an attempt to improve training facilities.
The Forest of Dean was identified by the RFU as being an area in need of more training facilities and it is hoped the new pitch will prevent cancellation of training sessions and improve their quality.
The pitch could be installed as soon as next summer and will be available for hire to the Forest’s rugby clubs.
The pitch will also be football compliant, allowing nearby clubs such as Harrow Hill, Ruardean Hill and Mitcheldean to also use it for small-sided training sessions.
Jon Bendle, the RFU’s facilities manager for the South West, was one of four people involved in the project that delivered a presentation to local sports clubs at Drybrook last week.
He was joined by rugby development officer Ashley Stephens, Gloucestershire RFU facilities co-ordinator Tony Swash and GRFU chairman Pete Williams.
“About 15-18 months ago, the RFU launched their artificial grass programme off the back of the World Cup,” he said.
“We recognised that pitches in that local area are massively over capacity. That basically means there are not enough pitches for the teams playing in that area.
“The Forest of Dean has been identified as being over capacity and having a lack of training provision.”
Drybrook, as host club, would have priority access to the pitch for up to 12 hours a week, before the pitch being made available to other clubs in the local rugby partnership.
Football clubs would then be able to book training slots on the RFU booking portal.
Hire cost for members of the local rugby partnership is currently being mooted as being £20 plus VAT for an hour on the whole pitch before 6pm on weekdays, and £30 plus VAT after this time and on weekends.
Half of the pitch will also be able to be booked for half of the cost.