Reading's Madejski Stadium has the first dual-use pitch which makes use of a specialist product created by Cumbrian firm SIS Pitches.

The Maryport based firm has installed its SISGrass hybrid system at the venue, which is home to both Championship side Reading FC and Aviva Premiership team London Irish.

Including youth team games, the pitch has to endure almost 250 hours of playing time each year.

This new system has been described by SIS, which is based at the Glasson Industrial Estate, as "a reinforced natural turf system featuring patented fibre injection technology".

It was installed after wear and tear from matches affected the quality of the playing surface.

Reading have also taken ownership of an SISGrass Universal machine to maintain the pitch. This combines speed and mobility and uses laser precision to help repair high-use areas such as touchlines, goalmouths and penalty spots.

Main contractor MJ Abbott Ltd were central to the six-week pitch reconstruction project while Premier Pitches completed the turf finishing process.

Phil Blackwell, SIS Pitches’ UK projects director, said: “With the Madejski Stadium staging so many fixtures during a season, Reading require the most durable and stable pitch on the market, which we firmly believe our award-winning SISGrass hybrid pitch technology provides.

“The installation process went extremely smoothly and we have no doubts that both Reading and London Irish will experience a higher quality and more durable playing surface this season.

“SISGrass is essential for sporting clubs striving for the highest quality pitch on the market, and an absolute must-have for all dual-use pitches.”

Adam Grantham, Reading's grounds manager, said: “The pitch was last reconstructed to this extent way back in 2007 and it reached the end of its shelf life last season, becoming ineffective in areas.

"Balancing all the football and rugby commitments on an ageing pitch was extremely tough at times and there was some criticism over the winter period, so it was good to start afresh in the summer.

“We completely reconstructed the pitch, taking the old hybrid system out and starting from the bottom up, reshaping all the sub-base levels, reinstalling the drainage, the undersoil heating and adding a new irrigation system.

“We have been really pleased with both the high quality of SIS Pitches’ service and the pitch they have installed. With the increased durability of SISGrass, we’re extremely hopeful the end result is a much stronger and healthier pitch all year round that suits our manager Jaap Stam’s style of play.

“By September 9, we’d played five matches on it already but the pitch is holding together really well and I’ve been getting good feedback from the coaching staff and players.”

SISGrass has also been installed at venues across the globe, including six of next summer’s World Cup venues, including the Luzhniki Stadium, which will host the Russia 2018 final.