RISCA Rugby Club have installed a new 3G training pitch providing players with indoor facilities to keep up their training during the winter months.

The first club in Gwent to have this type of training pitch, the club hopes that the new facility will promote sport in the area.

The new pitch will be available from January 2 and will officially be opened on January 21 by Dennis Gethin (President WRU) along with Ryan Jones and Jason Tovey ( who both started their rugby careers at Risca RFC). Costing £25,000, the niche facility will see both rugby and football players have access to the facility, allowing them to train indoors in all weathers.

The cost of the pitch was supported by the Welsh Rugby Union who paid for 50 percent of the cost and will see coach development level one and two training courses use the facility.

Colin Wilks of Risca Rugby Club is thrilled with the new facility.

He said: “This is an exciting investment for the club.

"The ethos of rugby at Risca all about development.

“Risca RFC have invested 50 percent of the funding for the 3G indoor pitch with the Welsh Rugby Union funding the other 50 percent of the costs.

“The pitch will provide more opportunity for other sports clubs as it is not just Risca Rugby club who will be using the pitch - it is open to the community and other sports clubs.

“The pitch has taken around ten days to complete and a lot of work has gone into the preparation by Risca RFC committee and volunteers to help keep the costs down. The installation has been done by local firm South Wales Sports Grounds who are based in Magor.”

Beneath the 3G grass surface, the pitch features 15 mm of cushioning and then 22 tonnes of sand and 7 tonnes of rubber pellets which give the “grass” more body.

The facility is suitable for any sport played on grass.

The beauty of it is that full contact rugby can be played.

“With it being a first in the area, there has been a tremendous amount of interest and bookings are looking good with most evenings already taken up. There is quite a lot of interest in the daytime as well,” added Mr Wilks

To book or enquire about the 3G indoor facility, please call Risca RFC Sports & Leisure Complex on 01633 614646, or the club Secretary on 07976 981710.