Roof closed please!

First topic message reminder :

The weather forecast for Cardiff http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/2653822 is a bit iffy and the MS playing surface hasn't the best reputation.

So for me having the roof on is not likely to be the quandary, but when to close it.

Bathman_in_London wrote:

Cyril on 606v2 wrote:

Casartelli wrote:Might be quite cinematic in the rain.

Eddie Butler is currently boning up on his Shakespeare. The Tempest maybe.

Sign, almost certainly correct. Someone is putting together a motage of big slow motion hits complete with flashes of a dragon and a knight fighting with flame swirling around as we speak to go with it. All in sepia maybe.

Sepia, got that on my camera but think it's broken, just turns everything a browny colour...

thebluesmancometh wrote:

RubyGuby wrote:He should have given the 7 year old a clue, something like "Bill and Ben's friend"

I tried to pass it off as a liverpool phrase for mushrooms, and that they like mushrooms in liverpool. Not my finest hour.

Magic mushrooms? Either way, don't they grow mushrooms in the dark?

Luckless Pedestrian wrote:

thebluesmancometh wrote:

RubyGuby wrote:He should have given the 7 year old a clue, something like "Bill and Ben's friend"

I tried to pass it off as a liverpool phrase for mushrooms, and that they like mushrooms in liverpool. Not my finest hour.

Magic mushrooms? Either way, don't they grow mushrooms in the dark?

Yep the chap taking the tour did mention magic mushrooms after, asked what I was going to explain magic mushrooms were... crack?

I saw REM at the Millennium Stadium.

A girl was wearing an Orange Crush t-shirt. I think she was a Henson fan.

Well he does have Pretty Persuasion...

REM



My dad used to like them!

thebluesmancometh wrote:

We know Dave, but looking for todays practices.

Just out of interest went to the Giants stadium a few years ago (to see U2 of all blwdi things) and the locals cannot stand the concerts there and despite using a totally different turf type they have problems too!!
Got a few freinds who live in Sacaucus who are big Giants fans, apparently they have stopped the palletised turf now.

Some on here weren't quite sure and it seems you did ask "it was at one point taken off peice by peice wasn't it?"
Never mind and no worries. Just trying to help like.

With regards to other events at the MS;
http://www.millenniumstadium.com/events/index.php

Cardiff Dave wrote:

thebluesmancometh wrote:

We know Dave, but looking for todays practices.

Just out of interest went to the Giants stadium a few years ago (to see U2 of all blwdi things) and the locals cannot stand the concerts there and despite using a totally different turf type they have problems too!!
Got a few freinds who live in Sacaucus who are big Giants fans, apparently they have stopped the palletised turf now.

Some on here weren't quite sure and it seems you did ask "it was at one point taken off peice by peice wasn't it?"
Never mind and no worries. Just trying to help like.

With regards to other events at the MS;
http://www.millenniumstadium.com/events/index.php

Wasn't meant to sound like that mate was just an acknowledgement of your input.

thebluesmancometh wrote:

Wasn't meant to sound like that mate was just an acknowledgement of your input.

Nor mine.
Should be more events though at the MS don't you think? The list on the link I posted shows many months where there is nothing scheduled. I seem to remember that some years ago it was reported that bands/acts etc found it too costly to play there. Not sure if that's still the case.

Ye I heard rumours of a 66k deposit kind of thing a few years back.

Heavily reduced for the Blues mind

Sort of assuming that at some point the OP will get back on track, has the recent weather in the Diff been generally such that the roof is likely to be open or closed? I'm guessing closed.

Its open right now and will stay open until at least friday, does anyone know that thats right?

Closed for the game if poor weather is forecast, wet and pretty windy is the forecast I think (not that wind plays a part in the MS)

greytiger wrote:Sort of assuming that at some point the OP will get back on track, has the recent weather in the Diff been generally such that the roof is likely to be open or closed? I'm guessing closed.

Been unsettled and damn cold so I reckon the roof has remained closed this week.
As for Saturday, if it's raining I guess both sides will prefer the roof to be closed, but the casting vote will lie with Lancaster as far as I am aware.

"Andy Robinson insists Scotland are 'playing by the rules' as roof row escalates"
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/rugbyunion/international/scotland/7206980/Andy-Robinson-insists-Scotland-are-playing-by-the-rules-as-roof-row-escalates.html

All other nations regard Rugby as an outdoor sport, and have built rugby stadia accordingly. Millie is not a rugby stadium as such.

gregortree wrote:All other nations regard Rugby as an outdoor sport, and have built rugby stadia accordingly. Millie is not a rugby stadium as such.

Well it is as it is outdoors, the roof is just there to sheild against the bad weather (which we are known for in the UK, and has destroyed plenty of 6N games this year already)

Is it a coincidence that the worst 3 weeks of rugby seen by the torunament have involved every stadium except for the MS? The MS doesn't allow games to be ruined by the weather.

The MS doesn't allow games to be ruined by the weather.

We have Howley to take care of that

How mutch difference does it make to the pitch if the roof is closed or open?

I understand that when the roof is closed it gets quite humid at ground level. Makes the ball more slippery, but does the ground cut up more with the roof closed or open?

Its a lot darker with the roof closed Maj

gregortree wrote:All other nations regard Rugby as an outdoor sport, and have built rugby stadia accordingly. Millie is not a rugby stadium as such.

Hahahaha classic a roof that can stay open therefore 'outdoors' savvy?

Now if you take Dunedin's new stadium, always 'indoors', but despite it's small capacity plenty better than twickers, a cold souless place even when full.

Blue skies and sunshine today, if that's any help.

They forecast rain for tomorrow and Saturday, but it's not meant to be heavy.

Luckless Pedestrian wrote:They forecast rain for tomorrow and Saturday, but it's not meant to be heavy.

It will be bloody cold. Wrap up if your heading out.

Glorious spring day in Cardiff at the moment.

It's not today's weather that really matters though Doc.

Ultimately it's the state of Saturday's pitch.

Roof open or closed, will it be a skid pan/ploughing contest?

greytiger wrote:It's not today's weather that really matters though Doc.

Ultimately it's the state of Saturday's pitch.

Roof open or closed, will it be a skid pan/ploughing contest?

Was the last game held there???

England would favour to leave the roof open and would likely be happy to see miserable conditions, seeing as Wales need to win by 7+ points.

Yes, let the Angels see this match.

gregortree wrote:

Luckless Pedestrian wrote:I've heard that England want the roof closed. Unfortunately, that makes the surface greasy.

They haul the pitch in on pallets.
Turf always cuts up due to poor climate, poor natural light, and pallet grass.
The roof is a failed attempt at protecting the pitch form these effects.
And yes closed roof increases humidity and surface slick.

This will impede both scrums, with lots of collapses etc. to be expected.
So Walsh (is he still selected ?) will try to ping England off the park for not coping with the state of the pitch.

But Englands character (a la André Watson 2003) will overcome all these obstacles.

Lets hope so
Lets hope not

Ha ha Dragon
I actually thought Walsh handled last weeks game pretty well.
I just hope the turf holds up.

Blimey rain and now wind on the forecast.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/2649579

What's it like at Ground Zero?

Lancaster has asked for the roof closed if its wet and is monitoring the conditions with the MS ground staff.

Terrible weather again today, shame, it looked lovely this morning

Henny Penny, she says we would be well advised to close the roof.

This is what you need! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sapporo_Dome#Retractable_surface

I've got really bad vibes about the potential state of the pitch tomorrow.

It's been such a wet past twelve months.
A year ago hose pipe bans were being announced...

Will be closed tomorrow according to the beeb and personally I'm glad .

It is closed and is staying that way. You would think the sun-lamps they use would do the trick, but I heard they are considering an artificial pitch. Could be a good thing as the Saracens' one seems OK.