Gardner backs iPitch

St Helens winger Ade Gardner says that players should give the new iPitch at Widnes a chance, as it could be the future for rugby league.

The new 4G artificial pitch has come under some criticism at the start of the new Super League campaign, although most came on the back of a freezing opening night match against Wakefield.

A number of Super League teams already train on a similar surface, including Saints.

Gardner said: “It’ll be interesting to go there and play. It’s a surface I’d quite like to play on, as it seems really fast. The downside is that a few players are getting grazes and burns, but it’s something that with more experience, you can combat getting those sort of injuries.

“A few people have been trying to put it down, which you’re always going to get whenever you try and change something.

“But we should embrace the change, it could be the future in five or 10 years time.”

The Cumbrian winger will have to wait until July 8th to get his first taste of iPitch action.

He added: “You have to play Widnes away once this year. You’ve just got to get on with it. You can’t control it. They aren’t going to dig the pitch up the week before, you’ve just got to play your game and take it out of your mind.”