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Drop In Temperature Puts Paid To Musgrave Match

9th January 2010 By Munster Rugby

Drop In Temperature Puts Paid To Musgrave Match

The drop in temperature overnight put paid to Munster’s chances of staging their Magners League tiewith Scarlets in Musgrave Park tomorrow evening.

Throughout the week Musgrave Park Facility Manager Ian Dunne and his staff worked round the clock – finishing at 2.30am on Thursday – in their efforts to ensure the game would be played.  Warm air heaters were installed to blow air into a blanket that covered the entire pitch.

It was expected that this procedure would ensure a playable surface by the time of kick off tomorrow. However a drop in temperature to -9 degrees last night meant that when the pitch was inspected this morning parts of the playing surface, touchline and goal area were unplayable.

Temperatures are set to drop again this evening and there’s a threat of snow so in consideration of their opponents travel plans and those supporters planning to travel, the decision was taken to make the call to abandon rather than wait until the morning.

A statement issued by Munster Rugby stated,

Following a 10am inspection by officials from Munster Rugby and David McHugh from the IRFU Referee Department, the Munster versus Scarlets Magners League game has been called off.

The pitch had been covered by a ‘warm air blanket’ since yesterday morning at which stage officials were confident that the game would go ahead. However overnight temperatures dropped to -9 and a further deterioration is expected tonight

Commenting on the situation Munster Chief Executive Garrett Fitzgerald said. ” While our inspection this morning showed part of the pitch unplayable, the continuing use of the ‘warm air blanket’ would, in our opinion have left the pitch playable by 5pm tomorrow, if conditions remained as they are now. However, given the forecast of snow and lower temperatures  overnight, we felt it would be unfair to those travelling or planning to travel  to leave a final decision until the morning and have therefore abandoned the idea of playing the game.

Tickets purchased for tomorrow’s game will be valid for the re-fixture. Details of the new date and kick off time will be communicated once the game has been refixed.

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