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STIGA & England Rugby Press Day…Getting the Pitch Perfect

October 5, 2026/in News, Press Release/by Admin

STIGA & England Rugby Press Day…Getting the Pitch Perfect A successful press day took place at Allianz Stadium on September 23rd, as STIGA teamed up with England Rugby to host trade and consumer press, alongside influencers, to celebrate the brand-new, revolutionary pitch and the latest chapter in their multi-year partnership. And when we say pitch […]

Kress Gives Farleigh School More Time Where It Matters

September 30, 2026/in Machinery, News, Press Release/by Admin

Kress Gives Farleigh School More Time Where It Matters Managing 76 acres of school grounds, 16 football and rugby pitches, 14 cricket squares, athletics facilities, tennis courts and woodland is no small task. For Grounds Manager Shaun Crowley and his team at Farleigh School in Hampshire, finding smarter ways to maintain the site without compromising […]

STIGA & England Rugby Press Day…Getting the Pitch Perfect

October 5, 2026/in News, Press Release/by Admin

Kress Gives Farleigh School More Time Where It Matters

September 30, 2026/in Machinery, News, Press Release/by Admin

Full Sized Blog Element (Big Preview Pic)

STIGA & England Rugby Press Day…Getting the Pitch Perfect

October 5, 2026/in News, Press Release/by Admin

STIGA & England Rugby Press Day…Getting the Pitch Perfect

A successful press day took place at Allianz Stadium on September 23rd, as STIGA teamed up with England Rugby to host trade and consumer press, alongside influencers, to celebrate the brand-new, revolutionary pitch and the latest chapter in their multi-year partnership.

STIGA & England Rugby Press Day…Getting the Pitch Perfect

And when we say pitch perfect, we mean it!

The partnership underlines STIGA’s commitment to supporting volunteers and grounds teams, helping create world-class playing surfaces at every level of the game…from grassroots rugby right through to the international stage. Because, as every rugby fan knows, you can have all the talent in the world, but it helps if the pitch behaves itself too!

The day provided a fantastic opportunity to hear directly from the RFU and STIGA teams, get behind the scenes of the new pitch and, of course, capture plenty of interviews and content.

Jim Buttar, RFU Head of Grounds and Technical Operations, and Alex Cohen, Stadium Development Director at Allianz Stadium, delivered excellent presentations covering both the reasons behind the new pitch and the technical detail involved in getting it laid and ready for action.

The STIGA team were also on hand to explain how the partnership with England Rugby is making a difference across the game. James Gordon, Managing Director of STIGA UK, and Sam Fletcher, Business Development Manager at STIGA UK, shared how STIGA’s robotic mowing machines are helping rugby clubs keep their pitches in top condition…while also supporting the people who work tirelessly behind the scenes to make match day possible.

They explained how the partnership is helping clubs and communities from the grassroots up, giving grounds teams and volunteers a little more time to concentrate on what really matters…rather than spending every waking hour chasing a mower around a pitch!

The day finished with a behind-the-scenes tour of Allianz Stadium, taking in the press areas, changing rooms and, finally, the star of the show…the brand-new pitch.

And what a pitch it was. Absolutely outstanding.

After all, at Allianz Stadium, the players might be responsible for the tackles, tries and turnovers…but STIGA is making sure the stage is set for the rugby community to put on their own show.

A great day, a great partnership, and one seriously impressive playing surface.

For more information on how rugby clubs can get involved with the partnership and sign up for benefits, please go to: www.stiga.com/uk/stiga-x-rfu

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Kress Gives Farleigh School More Time Where It Matters

September 30, 2026/in Machinery, News, Press Release/by Admin

Kress Gives Farleigh School More Time Where It Matters

Managing 76 acres of school grounds, 16 football and rugby pitches, 14 cricket squares, athletics facilities, tennis courts and woodland is no small task. For Grounds Manager Shaun Crowley and his team at Farleigh School in Hampshire, finding smarter ways to maintain the site without compromising standards has become essential.

Kress Gives Farleigh School More Time Where It Matters

The answer came in the form of Kress robotic mowers and battery-powered equipment, enabling the team to work more efficiently while maintaining the high-quality presentation expected at one of the country’s leading independent schools.

Having worked at Farleigh School for 15 years and spent the last six as Grounds Manager, Shaun oversees a small team responsible for keeping the extensive sports facilities in first-class condition throughout the year.

With staffing pressures increasing, Shaun began exploring robotic mowing technology to free up valuable time for his team.

“We were a staff member down and needed to maximise the best way of cutting the grass,” explained Shaun. “We couldn’t afford to have someone sitting on a mower all day, so we started looking at robotics.”

After researching several options, Kress stood out.

“What really sold Kress to me was the charging time and the runtime. A quick charge gives you hours of cutting, so they spend more time working than sitting on charge. They’re also incredibly flexible and can work day or night in virtually all weather conditions.”

Following an initial demonstration from local Kress dealer ATH Machinery, Shaun introduced his first Kress KR236 robotic mower before quickly expanding the fleet to three machines.

Today, the robotic mowers maintain around 78,000 square metres of grass, saving approximately ten and a half hours of mowing every week.

Those time savings have transformed the way the grounds team operates.

“The robots aren’t replacing anyone,” said Shaun. “They’re giving us more time to do all the other jobs that often get pushed aside. Instead of spending hours cutting an outfield several times a week, we can concentrate on all the other tasks that make a difference.”

The lightweight nature of the robots also provides significant advantages throughout the year.

“If you miss a cut with a conventional mower because the ground is wet, suddenly you’re trying to catch up. The Kress robots keep on top of the grass all the time. They’re lightweight enough to work when larger machinery might not be suitable, and because they’re cutting little and often, the quality of finish is consistently high.”

Alongside robotics, Shaun has invested heavily in the Kress commercial battery-powered range, including hedge trimmers, blowers, brushcutters, pruning equipment and walk-behind mowers.

“The battery equipment has been a no-brainer for us,” he said. “The runtime is fantastic and the fast charging means we’re never waiting around. On some of the batteries you’re talking about an eight-minute charge before you’re back working again.”

Beyond productivity, the battery equipment has improved the working environment for the team.

“Not having petrol fumes, less vibration and lower noise levels makes a huge difference, especially around a busy school. We’ve also got solar panels generating electricity, so charging the batteries simply made sense. It fits perfectly with where we’re heading.”

Equally important has been the support provided by local dealer ATH Machinery.

“You can have the best product in the world, but without good backup it’s pretty ineffective,” Shaun explained. “Tim Lane and the team at ATH Machinery have been brilliant. If I have a question, they’re always there to help, and that gives you confidence when you’re investing in new technology.”

For Shaun, the move to Kress has been about far more than simply changing machinery.

“It’s helped us work more effectively, maintain high standards and make better use of our time. I genuinely think robotics are the way forward for schools. They’re another member of the team, helping us keep on top of everything while allowing us to focus on the jobs that really need people.”

For more information, please visit https://www.kress.com/en-gb/

For the latest industry news visit turfmatters.co.uk/news

Get all of the big headlines, pictures, opinions and videos on stories that matter to you.

Follow us on Twitter and Instagram for fun, fresh and engaging content.

You can also find us on Facebook for more of your must-see news, features, videos and pictures from Turf Matters

Half Sized Blog Element (Single Author Style)

Half Sized Blog Element (Multi Author Style)

STIGA & England Rugby Press Day…Getting the Pitch Perfect

Kress Gives Farleigh School More Time Where It Matters

STIGA & England Rugby Press Day…Getting the Pitch Perfect

Kress Gives Farleigh School More Time Where It Matters

Full Sized Blog Element (Big Preview Pic)

STIGA & England Rugby Press Day…Getting the Pitch Perfect

STIGA & England Rugby Press Day…Getting the Pitch Perfect

Kress Gives Farleigh School More Time Where It Matters

Kress Gives Farleigh School More Time Where It Matters

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