Wasps are yet to move into Coventry’s Ricoh Arena, but the club has already announced plans to rip up the playing surface.

The club originally planned to relay the pitch over the summer, but have now decided to take immediate action following consultation with independent turf experts about the current condition of the surface.

Arena Coventry Ltd will fund the temporary pitch replacement with immediate effect, with work scheduled to be completed before Coventry City play their next home Football League fixture on December 20.

Wasps chief executive Nick Eastwood said: “We are not willing to compromise on the quality of the playing surface and recognise that this issue needs to be addressed now, so we have provided the best temporary solution available to us.”

Eastwood also stated that the decision was motivated by a desire to “provide high quality performances” for those fans travelling to watch Wasps at their new home for the remainder of the season.

The club play their first match against London Irish on December 21 on the new turf, and maintained that they will still fulfil their original commitment to fully relay the pitch in the summer.