Following their triumphant treble-winning 2024/25 season, which included lifting the Premiership title, Bath Rugby made the decision to upgrade the pitches at their Farleigh House training facility. White Horse Contractors were selected to deliver a bespoke drainage solution, designed to provide a more consistent playing surface alongside a full off-season renovation.

Our dedicated in-house team arrived on site as scheduled and began by removing the organic material from the existing surface. After two passes with a Koro FTM, the pitch was prepared for the installation of secondary drainage. For the site conditions, the chosen system was a Shelton trencher. Sand slits were installed at 1m centres, running laterally across the playing surface. These were backfilled using a Dakota sand spreader, first with gravel and then with sand. A total of 90 tonnes of MM40 sports-specific sand from Mansfield Sand Company was then spread across the training pitch before verti-draining, cultivation and seeding.

Later in the summer, following the success of the work at the training ground, White Horse Contractors were invited to renovate Bath Rugby’s stadium pitch at the Recreation Ground. Our team arrived on the agreed start date and began removing the existing surface. Due to the shallow stitched construction, the work required a careful and methodical approach from our specialist renovation team.

Once the old surface had been removed, 120 tonnes of MM40 specialist sports sand from Mansfield Sand Company was applied across the stadium pitch ahead of verti-draining, cultivation and seeding.

“The two teams you had carrying out our renovations and secondary drainage have worked extremely hard, been very mindful of certain complications our sites have and managed this very well indeed. They have shown great attention to detail and have kept me informed of any issues and progress. Overall, I have been extremely happy with what you guys have delivered — a second-to-none service.”
Asa Taylor, Bath Rugby