Edinburgh make Murrayfield pitch plea

Edinburgh Rugby have pleaded with fans not to take away souvenirs of the turf despite being welcomed on to the Murrayfield pitch on Friday evening.

It is the last game before the pitch is replaced with a new semi-synthetic surface in time for the summer.

Managing director David Davies said: "As the pitch is infected with a parasitic worm, we ask that fans do not try and take any of the surface home."

Edinburgh say fans can "pass, sidestep, score tries and kick goals" instead.

"Very few have the honour of running out at Murrayfield and we thought that this was the ideal opportunity to offer that experience to our fans, who will hopefully bring a ball and have a bit of fun after the game," added Davies.

Friday's visitors are Ulster, who sit third in the Pro12 table and are chasing a place in the title play-offs.

Edinburgh, who sit eighth in the Pro12 table, will play their next home game, against Cardiff Blues on 11 April, at Boroughmuir's Meggetland.

Murrayfield's surface has proved troublesome this season.

The pitch was sprayed with garlic in November in a bid to eradicate nematodes, roundworms that cause damage to grass root structure.