Teams urged to train off-field as hard surfaces poses problems

The baked earth might be a bit tough on players' bodies but Whangarei District Council says its up to winter sports codes to decide whether their seasons start on April 6.

Council staff have inspected about 70 sports fields and met with code officials in the past few days to discuss the grounds' conditions, which parks department technical officer Aubrey Gifford said were as dry as he'd seen in 20 years.

"I'm saying to the codes the grounds are very hard. It's up to them to decide if they want to use them. The only thing I have asked them to do is try to do as much training as possible off the fields," Mr Gifford said.

"As far as safety goes, it's their call."

He said the sports officials had been very understanding of the situation. The worst affected sportsground was at Otaika where rugby league was played.

At several sports fields around the district the lack of grass was not as big an issue as cracks in the ground and the uneven surface, Mr Gifford said.

Only rain would solve those problems caused by lack of ground moisture.

With sports activity, grass blades were likely to get broken and roots scuffed up which would slow growth.

"But we're saying the fields are okay to play on.

"If we delayed the start it wouldn't make much difference."

Mr Gifford said the worst outlook for recovery was if the weather turned too cold before there was decent rainfall, preventing grass from growing and turning the grounds to seas of mud.

At Springs Flat, where the council had made considerable investment developing new playing fields to take an overflow of football games, irrigation might be needed to embed new grass plugs due to be laid after Easter, Mr Gifford said.