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IOG BEST PRACTICE
32
the Groundsman August 2015
an Forshaw is not one to shirk a
challenge. And he's had plenty
of practice after 14 years of
producing a first-class pitch at Wigan's
DW Stadium, ensuring that the frequent
back-to-back rugby and football games
are played on consistently supreme
surfaces in less than 24 hours of each
other. "The Warriors [the Wigan Warriors
- rugby] like a 28mm high sward while
I
Ian's quest for knowledge transfer
Heading up the award-winning grounds team at Wigan's DW Stadium, Ian
Forshaw is one established groundsmen whose quest is to pass on his
knowledge and experience to the younger generation
By: Colin Hoskins
the Latics (Wigan Athletic FC - football]
prefer 23mm," he says. "So, meeting
these demands is straightforward in
terms of turf height when a football game
follows rugby. But it's not so easy when
rugby follows football."
The schedule often sees Friday night
rugby followed by Saturday afternoon
football, in which case Ian and his two
grounds staff, Tony Jump and Robert
Woods, will work well into the night
replacing the posts with goals, repairing the
pitch and re-line marking. "We use a paint
that is easy to remove/wash off," adds Ian.
That Ian and team regularly manage
this situation was recognised last year
when they were awarded the IOG
Mansfield Sand Professional Rugby
League Grounds Team of the Year
Award. But while their award submission
Back-to-back football and rugby games are played at DW Stadium
