All iTurf Management employees have been involved in the Rugby World Cup 2023 which took place in France in September-October 2023. 3 stadiums whose pitches are the responsibility of iTurf Management hosted several matches of the competition, including the emblematic Stade de France which hosted the most prestigious matches, including the semi-finals and finals as well as the event's opening ceremony.
Key figures :
- The World Cup took place from Friday 8 September to Saturday 28 October 2023
- 20 teams engaged from 5 continents
- 9 stadiums in as many host cities : Bordeaux, Lille, Lyon, Marseille, Nantes, Nice, Saint-Denis, Saint-Etienne, Toulouse
iTurf Management was responsible for preparing and maintaining the pitches at 3 of the stadiums that hosted the competition :
- The Stade de France which hosted the opening ceremony and match, 4 group matches, 2 quarter-finals, 2 semi-finals, the match for the 3rd place and the final
- The Matmut ATLANTIQUE in Bordeaux (5 group matches)
- The Allianz Riviera in Nice (4 group matches)
Before the start of the tournament all 3 pitches were completely replaced under the supervision of our experts who selected the turf system, types of grass (natural or hybrid), grass species, etc. according to the technical specifications of each stadium and their natural environment.
Once installed, the new pitches were tested and analysed to ensure that they met the requirements of the tournament : soil analyses, turf strength tests, planimetry, playability and safety tests, etc.
iTurf Management worked closely with the tournament organisers and service providers with the same objective in mind : to raise the standard of the pitches hosting the competition and enable them to achieve excellence in terms of quality and playability, throughout the duration of the tournament and at the pace of an intense programme of matches.
The pitches are put through their paces with pre-match ceremonies and their repetition, Captains Runs and warm-ups. The sequence of these sessions and their intensity can have a negative impact on the quality of the pitches, which is why extreme care must be taken when organising them. Rigorous coordination with the organisers and the teams involved is essential if the playing surface is to be preserved and the show and competition are to be up to scratch.
In addition, iTurf Management's experts consultants were asked by World Rugby, as part of a consultancy mission, to provide their expertise on an ad-hoc basis to other stadiums hosting the competition, as was the case for the Orange Vélodrome stadium in Marseille for example.