Brentwood Rugby Club is enjoying its best playing surface for nearly 30 years after purchasing SISIS turf maintenance equipment.

The Essex club has been using a SISIS ‘Quadraplay’ system and ‘Multitiner’ drum type tractor mounted aerator since August 2013. The equipment, purchased with the help of a Rugby Football Union (RFU) ‘Get Fit for Rugby World Cup 2015’ grant, was recommended by RFU head groundsman Keith Kent.

“Since we’ve had it, we’ve only had to postpone one first team game this season – despite the weather, where many other clubs in the area were postponing games for the whole of January and February and that’s largely down to the SISIS maintenance equipment. It kept revenue coming into the club, which has made a big difference,” said Steve Killington, director of rugby at the club.

“Even with the poor winter, the pitches are the best they have been in the 27 years I’ve been here and going forward they are only going to get better.”

The 1.8 metre wide SISIS Quadraplay is a versatile pitch maintenance system which connects to any tractor with a 3-point-linkage. The system includes a mounted frame with four implements which can be arranged in any order and can be lifted out of use when not required. A single pass allows up to four operations to be carried out simultaneously, including surface aeration, sward cleansing, rolling and brushing.

The SISIS Multitiner is a drum type tractor mounted aerator which has been designed to improve drainage and encourage better root growth; the aerator incorporates quick release solid tines and a working depth of up to 100mm.