Using stadium lights to illuminate rugby fields is a difficult undertaking because it requires an all-encompassing lighting system that takes into account factors like lumen, beam angle, color temperature, power of rugby field lights, and the placement of light poles in the rugby field. Keep in mind that different sports grounds have distinct light pole layouts and illumination requirements, so a single lighting arrangement can never be used in all stadiums. This page will address a variety of lighting-related topics related to professional rugby football pitch lighting.
What specifications apply to the lighting on a rugby field? The main principle is that the LED high mast light should be sufficiently bright and uniform to meet Rugby Football Union illumination standards (RFU). For rugby field lighting, LED is a good alternative to metal halide because of its improved energy efficiency, longer lifespan, and increased safety. Let’s investigate how to illuminate the football field step-by-step.
Rugby field size
Although the actual dimensions may vary slightly, for the purposes of this case study, we will suppose that the complete field is 120 by 70 meters. For rugby fields, we provide high tower lights with 4 or 6 poles. The quantity and tilting angles of the flood lights mounted on the rugby stadium light poles are influenced by the size of the rugby field. We will unquestionably require more powerful illumination if the field is larger.
Lighting Design & Standards for Rugby Fields
Brightness (Lux required)
The RFU’s guidelines, which say that the lux requirement is between 250 and 300 lux for recreational and general commercial use, can be used to establish power selections for rugby stadium lights. Why does that matter? The following estimate might be accurate.
| Level of competition | Lux requirement of rugby field lights |
| Amateur or recreational | 200 to 300 lux |
| Professional | 300 to 500 lux |
| National competition | 1000 to 1200 lux, with 1000 lux vertical requirement |
| International, world-class rugby tournaments | 1500 to 2000 lux, with 1000 lux vertical requirement |
Consequently, we may observe that the lux levels rise as the intensity of competition does. If the rugby field is intended for recreational usage, such as a community park, we simply require about a lower low level. The lighting level needs to be increased to 500 lux if the rugby field is within a high school so that the players can see the fast-moving rugby clearly.
Lighting Uniformity
2,100,000 lumens are required, which is calculated as 250 * 120 * 70. It is equivalent to 15000 Watts for our rugby football pitch lighting. Then, the uniformity of the lighting is roughly 0.6, which is a typical figure for a sports field lighting. For professional or international rugby competitions, a 0.7 or perhaps 0.8 illumination uniformity standard will be necessary.
How is such value achieved? To replicate the illumination on the ground, our engineers will use DIALux, a lighting design program. We can acquire the greatest, most effective rugby field lights by adjusting the individual power and beam angle of LED lights. Nevertheless, during professional matches, the lux can increase to 500 or more. Sometimes more lights are required to attain a higher level of lighting uniformity. If possible, taller poles can further improve uniformity.
Temperature of color
There are three different color temperatures, including natural white, warm white, and cold white. Which color temperature is ideal for lighting a rugby field? Rugby players will perform better under natural white lights that are around 5000K since they mimic daylight or sunlight.
Index of color rendering
Another crucial component of lighting the rugby field is color rendering. The field and balls must be revealed in their real color, which calls for a high color rendering index. It can enhance spectators’ and athletes’ viewing experiences. This is due to the possibility that the color of the field seen under artificial lighting with a high color rendering index may be more similar to the color seen under natural sunshine.
Why are rugby fields lit by LEDs?
Extended lifespan
The lifespan of an LED is incredibly long—100,000 hours. 2022 saw improvements to the LED chip layout and heat dissipation mechanism, which resulted in a 30% greater reduction in heat accumulation inside the lights than the previous version. The operating time of a luminary is greatly influenced by heat since poor thermal conditions reduce its performance.
Durability
More durable than metal halide, HID, or HPS lamps are LED high-mast lights. The rugby stadium lighting may experience a variety of bad weather conditions. Our sports field lights are IP66-certified waterproof, so they operate normally even in torrential downpours. Additionally, the solid-state LED can illuminate fields at -40°C, which is an extremely low temperature. As a result, our luminaires are so adaptable that they may be used in practically any setting.
Brighter and using less energy
The power of a single rugby field flood light can range from 1000 to 2000 watts, or 150,000 to 300,000 lumens. LED flood lights make it simple to produce this amount of lumens. To get comparable lumens when using metal halide lights or other traditional lighting options, we may need between 5000 and 10,000 watts.
Another issue is energy conservation. A rugby field’s operating expenses can be estimated as follows. If a professional rugby field uses 30,000 watts of LED lighting, the daily operating expense of rugby field lighting is equal to 30000W x 8 hours x $0.1 / 1000, or $24 per day, or $720 per month. Long-term savings from replacing the fluorescent lighting on the rugby field can be achieved.
Light distributions
The ability to choose from a large number of beam angles is another benefit of rugby field lighting. With a big beam angle for close lighting, and a modest beam angle, like 15 degrees, for long lighting, both are possible. If a uniformity need of 0.7 to 0.8 is present, we might need to have 2 to 3 different types of beam angles in order to get the optimal lighting uniformity. It’s never simple to choose the proper beam angle and flood light. Do not hesitate to contact us if you are looking for a professional rugby football pitch lighting design.
