The team at STIGA have always believed their robot mowers lead the field, but now they’re driving play forward on rugby pitches too.
Dorchester RFC was delighted to receive its robot mowers as part of STIGA’s partnership with England Rugby, giving the club a new edge in pitch preparation.
Set in Dorset’s county town of Dorchester, the club boasts a proud heritage, with rugby first taking root locally in 1871. Today, that legacy is being strengthened with a little help from cutting-edge technology.
Rob Greatorex of Dorchester RFC said: “We’ve been lucky enough to receive two A5000 robot mowers from STIGA, and we’ve already seen a difference within a few weeks. Previously, our pitches were cut by a contractor using tractor-mounted rotary gang mowers set to 30mm, fine for football, but too short for rugby."
Rob continued, “With the STIGA mowers, we’ve been able to let the grass grow to around 60mm, making it far more resilient through a wet winter and the dry spring we’re experiencing. The sward is recovering quicker, thickening up nicely, and overall, the pitch is in much better condition. It’s a real game-changer, and it also reduces our reliance on contractors, delivering significant cost savings for the club.”
Rob said the impact hasn’t gone unnoticed off the pitch either.
“Players and spectators have been asking what we’re doing differently,” Rob continued. “For such compact machines, the output is seriously impressive; we’re comfortably covering more than the recommended area. By scheduling cutting times around training and matches, we’re getting maximum performance.
The battery life is excellent, over four hours per charge, and they’re back up and running again in just two hours. The blades are tough and long-lasting, even when they hit the odd divot. Setup is straightforward through the app, and marking out zones was made even easier with the STIGA setup trolley.
STIGA’s support team have also played their part in keeping everything running smoothly.
The technical support has been brilliant; there’s always someone on hand if we need advice. These mowers have already had a hugely positive impact, and we’re excited to see just how good our pitches can become.”
With STIGA’s robot mowers now firmly in the starting XV, Dorchester RFC are proving that when it comes to pitch performance, they’re not just playing the game, they’re raising it.
To read more about the STIGA partnership with England Rugby, look here:
www.stiga.com/uk/stiga-x-rfu
