All Blacks coming to Cardiff?

WALES look set to play New Zealand in October, with the All Blacks adding a trip to Cardiff to their autumn itinerary.

There have been whispers doing the rounds over recent weeks about the Welsh Rugby Union arranging a fixture against the Kiwis.

And now the story has emerged in the New Zealand Herald, which reports a deal between the two countries is close to being finalised for what would be a potentially moneyspinning Test on Saturday, October 30.

That date would sit outside the World Rugby international window, meaning Six Nations champions Wales would be without their English-based players.

It remains to be seen what sort of crowd will be allowed into the Principality Stadium by October, with such things very much dependent on the situation with Covid-19 at the time.

However many fans are allowed into the stadium for the game, one thing is for certain, tickets will be like gold dust.

It’s four years since Wales last played the All Blacks in Cardiff and fans will be all the more determined to see the game having been starved of live rugby for so long.

It would also be an opportunity for Wayne Pivac’s Six Nations title winners to measure themselves against one of the best teams in the world.

The full 2021 autumn schedule for Pivac’s team is yet to be confirmed, but the WRU will be keen to play as many matches as possible as they look to address the huge financial shortfall caused by Covid.

Wales last played New Zealand in the World Cup thirdplace play-off at the Tokyo Stadium in November 2019.

Famously, they have not beaten the All Blacks since 1953.