That’s because from 1 June construction began on an extension to the pitch with the length being increased from 100m to 105m, along with a host of other works inside the ground.
The Club have also installed sockets for rugby posts at either end in preparation for the Rugby World Cup this coming October. To accommodate this, 1.7 cubic metres of concrete was put in place to hold the 1.77m sockets that support the 17m high posts.
As far as the pitch itself goes, it was seeded on 18 June and germinated after just six days. The first cut then took place this week as it begins to take shape ahead of the opening fixture against Sunderland on 8 August.
Plenty of work has also been going on in the pitchside areas too, with new trenches dug to house the LED advertising boards and a brand new 3G artificial grass track.
This track is a 2015 Rugby World Cup requirement and includes a 25mm shock pad and 60mm rubber infilled carpet to minimise the rise of injuries to players.