Kingsholm Stadium 'at flood risk from climate change'

Gloucester's Kingsholm Stadium is astatine consequence of "marine submersion" according to a caller study connected ambiance alteration commissioned by World Rugby.

The study looked astatine 10 awesome stadiums successful England and recovered of those, Kingsholm - location to nan Cherry and Whites since 1891 - could beryllium impacted by much terrible flooding.

It looked astatine 10 rugby nations astir nan world and recovered nan consequences of ambiance alteration connected rugby are "significant".

"While varying from 1 ambiance region to another, nan consequences of ambiance alteration connected rugby’s believe and ecosystem are important and will proceed to deteriorate successful nan coming decades," nan study said.

"Heatwaves will proceed to impact jock capacity and spectator health.

"Droughts will much often impact turf pitches, while submersions from flooding and/or sea-level emergence will progressively effect infrastructure."

The study looked astatine nan projected effect of a 2C world somesthesia summation connected rugby.

"As nan subject shows, nan world is heating up and apt to surpass a 1.5-degree summation successful world mean temperatures by 2026. Without large-scale reductions successful emissions, a two-degree summation successful world mean temperatures is simply a existent possibility," it said.

It recovered that pinch a 2C rise, 11% of nan 111 stadiums looked astatine crossed nan world are astatine consequence of yearly marine submersion, pinch 30% experiencing accrued wind/cyclone activity.

Marine submersion projections were based connected rises successful oversea levels, large wind surges and yearly flooding data.

England, which has 1.94m rugby players and 1,700 clubs, is astatine "increased risk" of dense rainfall and flash flood frequency.

Nottingham Rugby Club saw its crushed severely flooded successful January this twelvemonth pursuing Storm Henk.

The 147-year-old nine launched a fundraising appeal because its security would not screen nan repair costs owed to nan crushed being built connected a floodplain.

Grass pitches successful England are besides nether threat from a destructive fungal illness called pyricularia from confederate Europe, which is now recovered successful confederate England and Wales.

Six retired of nan 10 rugby nations investigated - which besides included Australia, South Africa, France, Fiji and New Zealand - will look 10 further days erstwhile they cannot play owed to precocious temperatures exceeding 35C.

Other stadiums astatine consequence of marine submersion according to nan study are Perth's Optus Stadium, The HFC Bank Stadium successful Fiji's superior Suva, 2 Japanese stadiums successful Higashiosaka and Kitakyushu, arsenic good arsenic 5 stadiums successful New Zealand successful Napier, Nelson, Dunedin, Whangarei and Tauranga.

The report, which utilized existing information and ambiance modelling for its projections, makes six recommendations for nan athletics to thief mitigate nan threats posed by ambiance change.

They see creating a money to thief those astir astatine consequence from nan impacts of ambiance alteration and assessing changes that mightiness person to beryllium made to nan crippled - specified arsenic nan playing calendar, aliases betterment times for players - arsenic good arsenic processing caller ambiance strategies.

"It is my sincere dream that nan findings will not only raise consciousness wrong nan rugby family but besides service arsenic a catalyst for corporate action astatine each levels of nan game," said World Rugby president Sir Bill Beaumont.

He added he hoped "that its recommendations will animate initiatives that foster sustainable practices, mitigation, adjustment and resilience wrong our sport".

Earlier this twelvemonth World Rugby announced it was looking to present extended half-times and much h2o breaks during matches played successful basking and humid conditions.