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The Welsh Rugby Union has unveiled a synthetic replica of the famous Millennium stadium pitch thanks to TigerTurf (UK) Ltd.

TigerTurf’s Premiership partners White Horse Contractors, have installed the state of the art “Total Rugby” surface, at the WRU training headquarters - Vale Resort Complex near Hensol in Wales.

The WRU requested that TigerTurf, who are the chosen surface for all RFU funded projects in England, replicate the state of the art surface to the exact dimensions of the Millennium Stadium to maximise the benefit to their training programme.

The Millennium stadium replica is 130 metres by 80 metres in dimension and is underlayed with a bespoke rubber, shock absorbant, material minimising the impact on the body when a player falls with force.

Former British Lion and current Wales’ forwards Coach Robin McBryde believes it will give his side an added advantage in the build up to their International campaign.

“From the length of the dead ball area to all the all the other dimensions of the pitch, right down to the eventual pitch markings this training ground will be an exact replica of that at the Millennium Stadium,” said McBryde who will lead his national team on tour to Canada and USA this summer.

“Detail like that will help the national team in the long term and once the all-weather surface has been laid and the other pitches are available to us we will be able to boast one of the finest rugby training facilities in Europe if not on a world-wide scale.”

Three full size pitches and two half pitches will also be installed at the Vale Resort complex as part of the new development for exclusive use by the national team and the full range of WRU squads, but the all-weather surface – the largest of its kind in Europe – is the jewel in the crown for the WRU.

The new Total Rugby surface will be used by the WRU in their build up to their tour to the USA and Canada and ahead of the 2010 Six Nations Championship and is part of a multi million pound centre of excellence created for the WRU.

Bryn Lee, Managing Director of TigerTurf, said; “We are delighted to have been chosen to deliver this bespoke service for the WRU.

“Our credentials within rugby are very strong and this is a flagship addition to our impressive rugby portfolio which includes Twickenham and Exeter Chiefs – Magners League side Cardiff Blues will also be using the new WRU facility.”

The Centre of Excellence development is the result of a three way partnership, with investment from the WRU, Leekes, owners of the Vale Resort, and the Sports Council for Wales who have allocated a £1.5 million Lottery grant into the project.

Tested in accordance with RFU/IRB regulation 22, Total Rugby achieves the highest performance standards set within the industry.

Stephen Leeke, Managing Director of the Vale Resort, is delighted with the installation of the TigerTurf Total Rugby surface, he said; “This new pitch is state-of-the-art and is one of the finest of its type in the world.

“It incorporates the latest artificial pitch technology which allows full impact training as it reacts and behaves like a natural surface with the benefit of being able to be used in all weathers and therefore all year round.”