Stormers' home ground to get new hybrid pitch: '50% grass, 50% synthetic'

A new synthetic pitch is on the cards for the Stormers' new permanent home, Cape Town Stadium.

This was revealed after Wednesday's announcement that the stadium had become the official home of Western Province Rugby.

READ | WP Rugby becomes anchor tenant for Cape Town Stadium

The Anchor Tenant Agreement is for an initial 39-year period, with an option for WP Rugby to renew for a further two 30-year periods, effectively ensuring a home ground for WP and the Stormers for 99 years.

At a press conference in Cape Town, Cape Town Stadium CEO Lesley de Reuck revealed that the pitch surface will undergo a transformation to make it more conducive to rugby.

The surface, originally created for soccer during the 2010 FIFA World Cup, has been troublesome for rugby games with the grass often tearing up during scrums.

"We will start the process of relaying the pitch in July and we should be finished in October - using the 2023 World Cup period where there are no rugby matches scheduled," De Reuck told reporters.

"The new pitch will be 50 percent grass and 50 percent synthetic, which means it will be easier to maintain and the surface can be used more.

"Since we had the British & Irish Lions (in July 2021) here for five matches in a row it has been a handful to maintain but with the new synthetic pitch it will be a dream."

Stormers coach John Dobson expressed his delight at the prospect of a hybrid pitch.

"I just have to text (prop Frans) Malherbe about the news," Dobson quipped. "It is really fantastic. From a team's point of view, we do slip a little bit and during the British & Irish Lions tour in the middle of winter, it (the grass surface) took a bit [of a hit].

"It has been moderately restored for this season but (the hybrid pitch