Millionth fan/Record attendance

 RECORD ATTENDANCE ON THE CARDS

When Wales take on Italy at Principality Stadium on Sunday the world record attendance for a women’s international could be ‘blown out of the water’.

The current UK record was set last summer at the 2017 Women’s Rugby World Cup Final at Kingspan Stadium in Belfast, when 17,115 fans watched New Zealand beat England 41-32. The biggest global attendance is thought to be the 2014 Women’s World Cup final when the Stade Jean Bouin sold out its 20,000 seats.*

And France have already sold 15,000 tickets for their Women’s Six Nations meeting with England in Grenoble this weekend, which has a capacity of 20,000.

But more than three-times this amount of fans hold a ticket for Sunday’s Wales women clash with the Azzurri in Cardiff, with the game marketed as a double-header contest to be swiftly followed by Wales’ NatWest 6 Nations fourth round meeting with Italy.

Principality Stadium bosses have issued repeated warnings to supporters to turn up in good time for the game, with new security measures and full searches at turnstiles meaning entry now takes longer.

Gates open on Sunday at 11.30am and, if advice is heeded, it is highly likely that at the very least a new record for a Wales women’s home game will be set (top estimates would have this figure at 4,113, set against England at Cardiff Arms Park last year).

But with the added incentive of the Wales Women’s Six Nations international to take in – which kicks-off at 11.45am – at the end of International Women’s week, on Mother’s Day, and with a new world record on the table, supporters could be inspired to create a new piece of Welsh rugby history.

“If you look at the ticketing map for access to the stadium, there could be 5,000 fans in by the time the Women’s game kicks-off at 11.45am on a normal day,” said Principality Stadium manager Mark Williams.

“By half-time, at 12.30 we would hope to have more than doubled that number in order to ensure all supporters get into the ground in time for kick-off and the anthems ahead of match two.

“The men’s teams come out to warm-up from around 2pm and a lot of fans like to be in their seats to show their support and help to build that unique Six Nations atmosphere that we all know and love.

“But it would be magnificent for us from a logistical and safety and security point of view if the nation turned up to show their support for the Wales Women’s side in a similar way.

“It would not be inconceivable to get 24,000 fans into the stadium within the first hour of opening.

“The atmosphere for the Women’s game would be incredible, we would blow the world record attendance figure out of the water and any queueing issues at the Gates as a result of increased security measures would be significantly abated.”

Sioned Harries and Caryl Thomas are the two survivors from the Wales Women starting line-up from the last time the national side played at the national ground, in 2012 (Megan York started from the bench in that game and is a replacement once again) – but this game was played after the men’s fixture with a small crowd remaining in their seats to watch the second match.

Harlequins Ladies have recently announced plans to attract the biggest attendance to a women’s club rugby union match on the previous day. The unbeaten Premier 15s league leaders have targeted their local derby match against Richmond Ladies on 10 March at the Twickenham Stoop to set a new record.

A small amount of tickets to see two Six Nations games for the price of one at Principality Stadium on Sunday are still available at www.wru.co.uk/wales * 

With France failing to make the 2014 Rugby World Cup final, an official attendance was never recorded as many fans watched the home nation in the third/fourth place play-off between France and Ireland but did not stay on to watch England beat Canada in the showpiece

______________

 WALES FANS ARE ONE IN A MILLION

Principality Stadium will welcome its millionth rugby supporter through the turnstiles as Wales men’s and women’s teams take on Italy on Sunday.

The NatWest 6 Nations clash with the Azzurri is the 15th home Wales game since Principality Building Society began their 10-year partnership with Welsh rugby, in January 2016, and 945,421 supporters have enjoyed their rugby at the Cardiff venue since that date.

Sunday’s game is also the 125th senior men’s international on site since the then Millennium Stadium rose so majestically from the rubble of the old National Stadium, Cardiff Arms Park in 1999.

Someone in the crowd will be the millionth Principality Stadium guest – the 54,579th arrival – and the honour of being counted as the eight millionth supporter since ’99 will also go to the 65,025th fan on site.

“We often say that Welsh rugby has the best fans in the world game and we are hugely thankful that they continue to turn-out in their millions to support our national sport and therefore make significant contributions to safeguarding its future,” said WRU chairman Gareth Davies.

“It is not just at senior international level either that Welsh rugby is a vibrant and appealing prospect to supporters. 

“Once again next month when our four regional sides come together at Principality Stadium for the sixth annual Judgement Day double header (Saturday, 28th April), in excess of 60,000 are expected to turn out in support and Guinness PRO14 attendances in general are continuing to go from strength to strength.

“Sunday also marks the first time a women’s international match has been played out ahead of a senior men’s fixture at our national ground.

“The women’s and girl’s game is a huge area of growth for our sport and I know that the Six Nations Championship rugby on display from the women’s national side will be equally appreciated by our knowledgeable and discerning supporters.”

Wales Women kick-off at 11.45am, with Principality Stadium Gates opening from 11.00am, supporters are once again advised to enter the stadium early with new security measures in place meaning more time should be allowed for access.

The opening clash against Italy – Wales’ men kick-off at 3.00pm – could set a new record attendance at a Women’s international if supporters heed advice to turn up early and show their support.

The current record is around 20,000 supporters, set on Rugby World Cup finals day in 2014, but over 60,000 supporters hold tickets for Sunday’s double-header Six Nations event.

A small amount of tickets to see two Six Nations games for the price of one at Principality Stadium on Sunday are still available at www.wru.co.uk/wales