Overview

Germinal supported Trafford MV RFC and Broughton Park RFC throughout their pitch renovation processes, offering practical advice and guidance that played a key role in their success ahead of the pitches be used as training bases for the 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup.

Project detail

Maintaining a quality rugby pitch in a typical season is no small feat. Wear and tear, weather and limited resources all present ongoing challenges.

In 2025 the grounds teams at Trafford MV RFC and Broughton Park RFC faced their greatest task: serving as training bases for the 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup. This added immense pressure to their already demanding rugby pitch maintenance schedules. For volunteer groundsmen and contractors, the stakes and the workload were suddenly much higher.  

Germinal technical expert Paul Moreton supported both clubs throughout the renovation process, offering practical advice and guidance that played a key role in their success.  

Two clubs, two different starting points 

At Broughton Park, head groundsman Andy Daniels needed to transform an old, soil-based pitch into one that met World Rugby standards. He mostly worked solo, with limited time and a tight budget. 

Meanwhile, at Trafford MV, contractor John Haines had a head start. The pitch was recently renovated, with new drainage and full grass coverage. Still, tackling this high-profile task was a demanding addition to his regular commitments.

Expert guidance and consistent commitment 

Regular visits from agronomists and pitch assessors added pressure but also provided reassurance, helping both clubs stay focused on their goals. Their journey began in October 2024, with August 2025 as the goal line. A mild winter helped, but summer proved challenging. 

Throughout, the clubs have remained committed to best practices, consistently applying seed and fertiliser at the recommended rates, each year.  Cutting costs might offer short-term savings, but it often leads to long-term issues like poor drainage, undesirable grass invasion, weak swards and costly repairs.  

The power of perennial ryegrass

As part of the renovation programmes, the focus was on building a strong, dominant sward of perennial ryegrass. Unlike meadow grasses such as Poa annua or Yorkshire fog, ryegrass offers better winter resistance and stays stronger for longer. 

“Meadow grasses give a false sense of coverage in spring,” explains Paul. “But they’re the first to disappear by November. Properly maintained ryegrass stays strong.” 

Mechanical aeration, slitting and top dressing were also routinely completed. This reduced the annual sward decline and boosted pitch resilience. 

Smart choices over tradition 

Andy and John both opted for the A30 Sports Renovator, a Germinal mixture designed to provide rapid establishment, strong wear tolerance and good winter colour. It’s ideal for pitches that experience heavy use, helping to keep a hardwearing surface throughout the season.  

“A30 suits us. It works really well.” Andy explains, “We’d rather spend limited resources on seed and fertiliser than throw 200 tonnes of sand on the pitch just because it’s what’s always been done.” 

John agrees, “I use Germinal’s ryegrass mixtures for most of my contracted pitches. But for our first team pitch, especially after a major renovation, A30 was a clear step up from what we’d used before.” 

Nutrition that works

Fertiliser choices were guided by soil pH to ensure the right nutrients were applied, supporting healthier grass growth and improving pitch performance.  

Andy kept it simple with a standard slow-release fertiliser. Just what the soil needed, based on the test results. 

John’s pH was a little low, so granular lime was applied at regular intervals. This worked well, with disease and drought tolerance also improving. 

“Fertiliser won’t work if your pH is off,” says John. “Even one point below neutral can cut nutrient effectiveness by up to 50%.” 

Paul explains, “An incorrect pH can be caused by many factors - rainfall, nitrogen sources, soil type, even the topdressing you bring in. I’ve tested dressings with a pH as high as 7.6. Always ask your supplier for a pH reading before applying it.” 

Getting pH right isn’t just about performance. It’s about sustainability. Wasted fertiliser doesn’t just cost money, it ends up in rivers, air and soil. 

And if you’re not overseeding regularly? You’re managing meadow grass. That means applying more nitrogen and water than you need to. 

That’s why grass seed mixes like A30 aren’t just for repairs - they’re part of a smarter, long-term strategy. 

Performance plus sustainability 

While sustainability wasn’t the primary goal, both clubs’ commitment to consistent overseeding and correct nutrition had environmental benefits. By avoiding waste and reducing stress on the grass, they minimised the need for fungicides and wetting agents.