Scots relishing sell-out games in Six Nations
SCoTTISH rugby chiefs have welcomed the lifting of Covid restrictions as they looked forward to full houses against England and France next month in their Six Nations matches at BT Murrayfield.
Both games are already sold out at the national stadium — with the ties against Wales, Italy and Ireland all being away from home — and it ends any speculation about the SRU having to play in England if they wanted fans to be in attendance.
An SRU spokesman said: ‘Scottish Rugby has welcomed today’s confirmation from the Scottish Government that attendance limits on outdoor events will be lifted from next week.
‘This will enable the forthcoming Guinness Six Nations matches to go ahead and we continue, as planned, to host England and France at BT Murrayfield, starting with the Calcutta Cup on Saturday, February 5.
‘We will continue to support public health measures being implemented in Scotland and work to ensure required mitigations on those attending matches for our professional and national teams are put in place.’
The news is also a boost for Glasgow Warriors and Edinburgh, who will now be able to have supporters at their rearranged derby matches — which were postponed over the festive period due to a Covid outbreak — when they are finally played.
one, or both, of those matches could be organised for the Sunday of a Six Nations weekend, with Scotland only playing on a Saturday during the Championship. That would not be ideal as both sides’ international players would be absent but at least it would give fans the chance — a full house of over 7,000 was expected at Scotstoun and more than 25,000 at Murrayfield — to be in attendance.
Edinburgh assistant head coach Stevie Lawrie said he was delighted at the lifting of restrictions and called on fans of the capital club to get back out to support their team, starting with the home match against Brive in the European Challenge Cup a week on Saturday.
‘It is great that crowds are back,’ said Lawrie. ‘We have London Irish away this weekend then Brive at home, so can we put out a wee call to arms for the crowds to come out and try and fill our DAM Health Stadium.
‘It’s brilliant to think they will be back as it was really weird at the weekend to take on Cardiff in front of no fans. The players just thrive off that vibe when they are there, so hopefully we can get our stadium full again starting with the Brive game.’ Lawrie said it would have been a ‘crying shame’ if the derby matches had to go ahead behind closed doors and that both Edinburgh and Glasgow Warriors players would benefit from them now taking place in front of fans.
‘I would hope that with the First Minister’s announcement that we’re starting to move to full crowds and those games can get played in front of fans,’ he added.
‘It would have been a crying shame if they had been played behind closed doors, given the buzz and anticipation.
‘Having been involved in them last year, there is not that same feeling when they are played in empty stadiums, so I hope we can get this Covid situation under control and we can have fans because the buzz is just massive.
‘I think the games between Edinburgh and Glasgow Warriors are becoming iconic games. one of the reasons I got back into coaching professionally was to be involved in those games. I was sick of watching them in the pub and being jealous of the guys doing well.’