Louis Rees-Zammit has called for artificial rugby pitches to be banned after revealing the gruesome skin burns he sustained while playing on Saracens' surface at the weekend. He was involved for Bristol as they slipped to a 30-7 defeat at StoneX Stadium, which features an artificial surface rather than one made from natural grass.
The Wales international posted an image on Instagram showing off the damage to his leg, alongside an urgent message demanding action regarding the use of synthetic turf in professional rugby. "Can we please stop playing on these AstroTurf pitches! Someone do something about it," he said.
Coaches voice concerns over synthetic turf
Rees-Zammit's comments arrive during heightened scrutiny of artificial surfaces, with Bristol Bears head coach Pat Lam revealing that he left three players out of his squad due to concerns about the pitch. Pedro Rubiolo, AJ MacGinty and Steven Luatua were all rested following significant injuries last season.
Lam said: "They came off big injuries last year and so it wasn't worth putting them on that pitch. If we were playing the game at home or if it was a semi-final, they would have played."
Research highlights increased injury risk
The worries are well-established, with England prop Joe Marler advocating for 4G pitches to be scrapped in 2021. Exeter Chiefs and England team-mates Henry Slade and Jack Nowell supported his criticism.
Research published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine two years ago examined 20 seasons of injury data in England's top flight. It discovered that the incidence of knee injuries during matches was 44 per cent higher on artificial pitches than on natural grass.
The researchers documented an incidence rate ratio of 1.44, though they found no notable difference in the severity of injuries sustained on either surface. More recently, Saracens' artificial pitch was cited as one contributing factor in England international Tom Willis' choice to depart the club for French outfit Bordeaux-Bègles, alongside the financial and sporting incentives the move presented.
Rees-Zammit's post further fuels the ongoing debate surrounding the role of artificial pitches in the professional game, with players and coaching staff continuing to voice concerns over their potential impact on player welfare.
