Managing three separate sites with just four full-time staff would stretch almost any grounds team - but at Leicester Tigers, the introduction of the RM21 Combo robotic marker and mower, supplied by Agrovista Amenity, has transformed efficiency, quality, and day-to-day workflow.
For Head Groundsman Ed Mowe, who oversees the stadium pitch, three pitches and an indoor facility at the training ground, plus the women’s training centre at Oakes Park, the time spent on routine pitch marking alone had become a major pressure point.
“We were spending around seven hours a week just marking out,” Ed explained. “That’s one person’s full working day gone. With only four of us across three sites, we needed a smarter way of working.”
A trial of several robotic systems followed, but the RM21 Combo, supplied by Agrovista Amenity with full technical support, training, and backup from XDC, stood out immediately.
While Ed initially sought a robotic line marker, the multifunction capability of the RM21 quickly set it apart.
“It gave a really good mark, and the lines were spot on,” he said. “But the added benefit of the mowing deck and the fact we can add attachments like a dew brush made it a no-brainer. Instead of just being a marker, it’s a multi-tool we get far more out of.”
The team now uses the robot to mark four pitches across the men’s and women’s training facilities and to cut surrounds and soil-based training surfaces when staffing is tight.
This has had a dramatic impact on productivity:
“Three or four hours of robotic marking gives us three or four hours back,” Ed said. “That means we can cut a pitch, strim, fertilise - and carry out other pitch management work. It’s also helped us claw back some lieu time for the team, which we couldn’t before.”
One of the biggest challenges for any grounds team is the initial mark after renovations. With three-point data setup and highly accurate RTK navigation, the RM21 has made that process almost instant.
“The initial mark was always the longest,” Ed said. “Now, every mark is as accurate as the first. Even if there are no lines on the ground, the robot puts them in perfectly. It’s massively simplified things.”
The robot’s precision also extends beyond standard pitch layouts.
“We can programme it for grids, lineout areas, whatever we want. If something isn’t on the system, Agrovista and XDC get it mapped and send it straight over to us.”
For a machine expected to work autonomously across multiple sites, reliability and safety were essential. Ed admits he was initially cautious about the RM21’s weight - especially on damp soil-based pitches - but has been impressed.
“I was a bit sceptical at first, but there have been no wheel marks and the quality of cut is brilliant.”
The RM21’s ability to map complex or irregular areas has been another surprise:
“We’ve even mapped banks on site and it cuts them autonomously now. It saves us struggling to walk them."
Ed is quick to praise the support from Agrovista Amenity and XDC.
“No issues whatsoever. They’re always at the end of the phone or a message. They’ve gone above and beyond.”
With future attachments already in development, Ed sees the RM21 as a long-term asset.
“We’ve got this machine now; why not use it to its full ability? The versatility is one of its biggest features, and the potential for even more is really appealing.”
As Leicester Tigers continue to push standards across all their facilities, the RM21 Combo has become an integral part of how the team works. For Ed and his staff, it’s not just a machine but a smarter, more reliable way of managing an ever-growing workload - and one that promises even more capability in the seasons ahead.
More information can be found on the the RM21 here