Former All Blacks fly-half Lima Sopoaga has shared brutal 'burns' that he sustained whilst playing on a 4G pitch.
The former Wasps man now plies his trade for Lyon in the Top 14, and hasn't played for the All Blacks since he came off the bench against Wales in 2017, following his transfer to the English Premiership.
The incident occurred in a match between Lyon and Toulon last weekend. The game was played at Lyon's Matmut Stadium, which has synthetic turf.
Sopoaga was lining up against the likes of Cheslin Kolbe and Dan Biggar, and he came on as a replacement. A penalty in the closing stages won the game for Toulon, with the score line 23-27 at the full time whistle.
Sopoaga, All Black number 1145, posted a picture of his battle scars to Twitter the day after the game, with the caption "Love 4G pitches, said no rugby player ever", with crying laughing and facepalm emojis.
Artificial grass is becoming more and more popular in professional rugby, with many sides opting for the low maintenance option of 4G. Cardiff Rugby installed their own fake turf at the Arms Park in 2013.
Despite the obvious benefits, 4G can cause carpet burn-type injuries that are easily sustained when playing a high collision sport like rugby.
Former Scotland international Jim Hamilton stressed his concerns about player welfare on Twitter, regarding the injury.
"4G pitches need to go or we have to have fully covered protection for the players. And not just leggings. The best Premiership pitch is Franklin’s Gardens. (Grass)," he wrote.
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