Louis Rees-Zammit has called for an end to artificial pitches in rugby after a graphic Instagram post revealing his injuries after playing against Saracens.
The Bristol Bears wing was part of a 30-7 Gallagher Prem defeat at the StoneX Stadium on Saturday, and used social media to illustrate severe friction burns down his right leg.
“Can we please stop playing on these Astroturf pitches!” Wales international Rees-Zammit posted. “Someone do something about it!!"
Bristol boss Pat Lam admitted after the game that he had rested Pedro Rubiolo, AJ MacGinty and Steven Luatua as a precautionary measure given the trio all sustained significant injuries last season. Lam had also been critical of the pitch at Newcastle’s Kingston Park following his side’s visit last season.
Saracens, Newcastle and Gloucester are the three Prem clubs to play on artificial surfaces, with the north London club the first to have theirs installed in 2013. It was upgraded in 2017.
The Professional Rugby Injury Surveillance Project, commissioned by the RFU, Premiership Rugby and the Rugby Players’ Association, recorded match injury incidence of 71 per 1,000 hours on natural grass and hybrid surfaces against 89 on artificial in a 2022/23 season report, although players and coaches have anecdotally expressed concern over knee injuries particularly.
A number of individuals, including Saracens’ Max Malins and Newcastle’s Christian Wade, have taken to wearing leggings to protect against friction burns following a 2021 law change allowing them to do so.
“I think everyone reacts differently to these kind of pitches,” Saracens hooker Jamie George said. “Everyone's entitled to their opinion in terms of what they think about the pitches. I know the StoneX pitch meets all the rules and regulations.
“We make sure that we train on artificial surfaces on the week leading up to playing there at the weekend. Whether there is an advantage in that, whether that means our bodies get more used to it, you’d have to speak to a sports scientist, but I know that is an area of focus for us.”
Saracens open their Investec Champions Cup campaign against Connacht on Saturday at the Dexcom Stadium, which also uses an artificial surface.
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