AUTUMN FEAST FOR RUGBY FANS
WALES autumn schedule has been confirmed with South Africa, New Zealand, Australia and Fiji all coming to Cardiff later this year.
Thousands of tickets for the matches have gone on sale with the Welsh Rugby Union confident of having 74,000 capacity crowds inside the Principality Stadium later this year.
Tickets are on sale to WRU Member Clubs, Debenture holders and Premium members from today and the Union say a robust refund policy is in place – that guarantees money back within 30 days – if limited or no crowds are allowed.
Supporters who are not debenture holders or premium members will have to contact their local clubs to purchase tickets. Prices start at £40 to see the All Blacks, £25 to see the Springboks and the Wallabies, and £10 to see Fiji.
Fans will be given digital tickets and asked to download the
Principality Stadium ticketing app on their phones to gain access to the stadium. Paper tickets will be available on request.
The WRU say the move has been brought about to reduce the risk of spreading coronavirus and speed up entry into the stadium.
The data captured also facilitates the implementation of an effective track and trace process.
“There’s a great appetite for rugby right now,” said WRU chief executive Steve Phillips.
“Over two thirds of the population tuned in to watch Wales play each of their Six Nations games in February. Tournaments like the Guinness Six Nations Championship and the Autumn Nations Series galvanise the nation, generate hope and pride and give the people of Wales something to look forward to in difficult times.
“It is our aim and ambition to deliver the Autumn Nations Series 2021 with full crowds. We are working alongside Welsh Government and Public Health Wales to ensure this is done correctly and safely and in order for us to move forward and deliver events of this scale we must plan ahead, be flexible and prepared for change.
“Getting the Autumn Nations Series on sale early is an essential step in this process.”
The All Blacks will come to Cardiff for the first time since 2017 and it will be the first time the two teams have met since the 2019 Rugby World Cup third-place play-off.
However, the game will take place outside of the World Rugby international window, meaning Wales’ England-based players like Dan Biggar, Taulupe Faletau and Louis ReesZammit will be unavailable for selection.
“There is no doubt this is a huge autumn series fixture list and we are already looking forward to it, especially with the prospect of having supporters back at Principality Stadium,” said Wales head coach Wayne Pivac.
“It would be close to 21 months since we have had the chance to play in front of our fans at our home stadium, so it is hugely exciting to have the fixtures announced and I hope it excites the rugby public.
“It will be a big campaign against quality opposition, but we see it as another opportunity to test ourselves while we continue on our journey to France 2023.
“As a group we haven’t faced a Southern Hemisphere side yet with last year’s summer tour cancelled and autumn series rejigged so we are looking forward to welcoming all four sides to Cardiff for what will be four huge test matches.”
For the first time, all ticket categories are available for all fixtures at half price for under-17s.