Union & League

Rugby Clubs.

World Rugby Regulation 22 requires that every elite-level pitch is independently tested. We are a World Rugby-accredited testing provider — Premiership, Championship and community clubs all come through our books.

Rugby places different demands on a pitch than football. Sustained scrum and ruck loading concentrates stress on discrete zones; the 5-metre and 22-metre scrum-setup lines wear faster than the rest of the surface. Traction needs to be in a narrower operating window because the boots are higher-profile studded and the contact events are more violent.

World Rugby Regulation 22 specifies the testing framework for all elite-level rugby surfaces. Surface hardness, player-surface interaction, shock absorbency, vertical deformation and rotational resistance all have documented thresholds. Our rugby testing protocol covers all of these, with additional discrete-zone testing at known high-wear points.

For community clubs and grassroots unions, the standards are more flexible but the injury profile is comparable. Many community clubs use our testing to support insurance renewals and to justify capital investment to their members and committees.

Typical Engagements

How sector clients work with us.

Premiership / Championship Annual Compliance

Full World Rugby Regulation 22 compliance package with per-zone reporting on scrum areas, 22-metre zones and goal areas.

Community Club Safety Survey

Hardness and traction focused on contact-injury prevention, formatted for club committee and RFU review.

Fixture-Day Readiness

Overnight testing for Saturday fixture clearance decisions following wet weather.

Post-Renovation Verification

Before/after testing for verti-drain, over-seed and top-dress programmes.

Training Ground Multi-Pitch Package

Consolidated reporting across professional training facilities.

What Drives Sector Testing

Why these clients commission us.

01
Player welfare under scrutiny
Professional rugby is under sustained scrutiny on head-injury and concussion. Surface data is part of the picture every club needs to show.
02
Scrum-zone degradation
The 5-metre scrum lines degrade faster than any other part of the pitch. Targeted testing identifies this before match officials do.
03
Insurance premium sensitivity
Rugby club EL/PL premiums are hardening. Documented pitch management evidence measurably affects renewal pricing.
04
Capital investment for grassroots
World Rugby and RFU grant programmes have tightened evidence requirements for funded renovations.
Case Snapshot

What data-led change looks like.

Anonymised client case
A Championship club was preparing for a potential Premiership promotion push. Our mid-season Pitch Score on their main pitch came back at 71 (Good) with a warning on localised traction readings in the scrum zones reaching 54 Nm. A targeted aeration programme pre-Christmas brought the next survey's figures within band. That pitch subsequently hosted broadcast fixtures without issue through the promotion campaign.

Ready to measure your pitch?

Every test we run is UKAS-accredited and defensible. Tell us about your venue and we'll come back with a fixed written quote within two working hours.

or email info@surfaceperformance.com with your venue and test requirements