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Pitch Size - simple question?
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Bunkermentality View Drop Down
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    Posted: 27 May 2020 at 13:05
I was recently asked a seemingly simple question "what are the dimensions of a rugby pitch?" I checked the RFU regulations and was only able to find two mentions

13.7.1 It is the responsibility of the home Club to ensure the availability of a pitch and to correctly and clearly mark its pitch. 
13.7.2 Where an Artificial Pitch is to be used the Club where the pitch is situated must comply with World Rugby Regulation 22.

The World Rugby regulations https://laws.worldrugby.org/?law=1 are quite clear on the pitch dimensions but the RFU Regulations do not reference these. Does anyone know how the World Rugby Regulations apply to pitch sizes in the RFU competitions? Does the RFU permit size variations?
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You'll find in the Definitions section of the RFU Regulations a definition for Laws of the Game which refers to those issues by World Rugby, unless amended by trials within the RFU. So the Laws as published by World Rugby are those which should be followed and Law 1 defines pitch sizes.

Esher used to have a pitch which was maximum size with the maximum dead-ball areas, however we have reduced those in size to give space for coaches to stand and get angry with their team's performance.
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https://laws.worldrugby.org/?law=1&language=EN

Hope this helps


Edited by KnightsBoy - 27 May 2020 at 13:53
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Yes World Rugby's law one is very clear. What was less clear is where it states that the RFU abide by World Rugby laws and @Halliford led me to this in the RFU Definitions. Common sense also strongly suggested that the RFU must adhere to World Rugby laws.
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NCA have minimums set out in the admin instructions section 5.1

5.1 Pitches

All pitches used for National League games must conform to the standards defined in the World Rugby Laws section

1. These Laws do not define a minimum size for a pitch. However,at the NCA AGM on 5thJune 2016 the Clubs agreed that the following minimum sizes should apply

 - Try line to try line –90 metres
 - Touch line to touch line –65metres
 - Try line to dead ball line –5 metres

Artificial pitches  can  be  used.  However, these  must  comply  with  World  Rugby  Regulation  22  and  have  the appropriate and current certificates.
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Haliford - while the main pitch is commendable, even if the dead ball areas are not quite the maximum size, the Cavaliers pitch is comically short. 
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Also the minimums are a new addition to the laws.
There are not in my 2017 printed copy and as I recall were introduced for International matches last season. They now seem to apply to all competitions - unless there is permission from the local union.
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@Camquin reignites my earlier confusion. The latest Word Rugby law states that the pitch width must be between 68 - 70m. But does the RFU permit any variation from this?
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If you want a small pitch, go to Deal & Betteshanger. The ends are sandwidged between the wall of an army barracks and a school playing field fence, it's probably minimum size if not smaller.
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Originally posted by Robb Robb wrote:

If you want a small pitch, go to Deal & Betteshanger. The ends are sandwidged between the wall of an army barracks and a school playing field fence, it's probably minimum size if not smaller.
Check it out on Google Maps satellite view. Probably no more than 83-85 metres.
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Seem to recall West Leeds RUFC (not West Park Leeds) had in-goals of 2 metres
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Go to Vale of Lune, their DB areas are HUGE.... 
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Clifton largest dead ball areas in country?
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I wonder how many of the soccer grounds being used in the Premiership meet these minimum requirements? There is no space at all behind the goal posts at virtually all soccer grounds so dead ball lines tend to be taken as the "goal lines" used for football with the try lines moving closer to one another - are these the 90 metres minimum apart? Even if not I guess this is OK so long as you can fill the ground and make money

Edited by Thatbloke - 27 May 2020 at 18:19
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Originally posted by Thatbloke Thatbloke wrote:

I wonder how many of the soccer grounds being used in the Premiership meet these minimum requirements? There is no space at all behind the goal posts at virtually all soccer grounds so dead ball lines tend to be taken as the "goal lines" used for football with the try lines moving closer to one another - are these the 90 metres minimum apart? Even if not I guess this is OK so long as you can fill the ground and make money



I recall Leicester Tigers ground not being used in the 2015 World Cup because it was not big enough to meet WRU standards.
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I marked out a pitch in 1986 as:

Dead Ball 22m
Try 22m
Half way 30m
Half way 30m
Try 22m
Dead ball 22m

Width 70m

Playing area 104m, dead ball area 44m - great play inside dead ball areas, players had to read up on dead ball area laws

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Originally posted by Thatbloke Thatbloke wrote:

I wonder how many of the soccer grounds being used in the Premiership meet these minimum requirements? There is no space at all behind the goal posts at virtually all soccer grounds so dead ball lines tend to be taken as the "goal lines" used for football with the try lines moving closer to one another - are these the 90 metres minimum apart? Even if not I guess this is OK so long as you can fill the ground and make money

Well I'd say the Madjeski is/was borderline. 
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According to WIkipedia the madstad is 106m x 68m.
I assume that is dead ball to deadball so 96x68 goal line to goal line and 5m dead ball. 
However, I do not believe it has a 5m gap to the barriers.
 
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Originally posted by Camquin Camquin wrote:

Haliford - while the main pitch is commendable, even if the dead ball areas are not quite the maximum size, the Cavaliers pitch is comically short. 

I presume you mean our Cardinals pitch, behind the stand. Yes, the two pitches there are small, but we have two other full-size pitches. We only use the Cardinals pitch for 2nd XV matches against teams who like to run the ball a lot and who might beat us by doing that!
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Points: 11578 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Camquin Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 28 May 2020 at 10:05
That's the one.
Cardinals makes more sense given how close you are to Hampton court.
Don't know why I thought they were Cavaliers.
I do not believe the pitch size stopped the Wanderers from running rings round you.
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