Round 15 postponements ?

Obviously no announcements yet, but it's looking like there'll be a hard frost overnight Friday in Stortford, with temperatures remaining low on Saturday morning.

My prediction is that only 2 games will survive Rosslyn Park for sure and I believe Dings are also plastic but it’s whether Sedge can get out of the frozen North

Sale v Rams postponed 

Rabbie Burns wrote: My prediction is that only 2 games will survive Rosslyn Park for sure and I believe Dings are also plastic but it’s whether Sedge can get out of the frozen North

Edited by Nat1 - Yesterday at 16:49

Nat1 wrote: Rabbie Burns wrote: My prediction is that only 2 games will survive Rosslyn Park for sure and I believe Dings are also plastic but it’s whether Sedge can get out of the frozen North You are right as Dings do play on an artifical pitch.  I also think most games across Nat 1 and Nat 2 will be postponed by this time tomorrow if not due to be played on artificial surfaces. I'd say it's doubtful that Ampthill will get their already rearranged Champ fixture vs Hartpury on either. Bracknell (Level 5) moved their home game vs Jersey to nearby Maidenhead RFC last weekend (artificial pitch) at pretty late notice. I'd hope National League clubs could take a leaf out of their book if able to, but may be less keen to due to the clear losses in normal hospitality and matchday takings that would incur.

I was party to a discussion back in the 1970's about the subject of games being cancelled due to a frozen pitch. Is the ground actually any harder than the beginning of the season after a dry spell in September. Of course we don't mind running about in warm weather, but is there any more actual danger of injury was the conversation. The conclusion was we didn't want to play on a freezing cold day and adjourned to the bar, but there was no science to support the decision, it just seemed like a good idea at the time.

Mowden Park game is off

We discussed TB point at length last year during an away trip and we came to the conclusion that the grounds may be equally as hard in September as during frost/ice. There has normally been lots of work over the summer and there is a lot more grass and probably less or no ruts. Not every club is fortunate enough to have full time groundsman so repair work and upkeep may be less during the season and depending on lighting training and playing may be happening on the same pitch which again reduces recovery time for the ground. It is a while since I have seen a seriously rutted pitch in N1 as from speaking to people most clubs have a team of volunteers who work tirelessly to keep their pitches in the best possible shape

Halliford wrote: Rothman2 wrote: I’d have thought it was pretty obvious. Today’s players are athletes. When it freezes the ground becomes rutted and serious injury can occur.  Most of the country had been subjected to sub zero temperatures all week and it would make the game a lottery but over riding that would be the danger of serious injury. It is forecast to warm up considerably after the weekend so my view would be to call games off if there are any doubts at all. ps Does Halliford have any news from Hersham? Temperatures don’t look great with subzero temperatures every night thus far and forecast down to minus 4 on Friday night. Low temperatures last night and tonight in Hersham but sun during the day and no wind. There is a pitch inspection tomorrow morning but I have heard nothing today.

looking at the Met Office site, the overall picture suggests it's one of those weekends where if the pitch isn't playable on Friday afternoon, 24hrs prior to KO, there's little prospect of it being any better the next day...