FIJI SALES HIT RECORD MARK AS THEY SAIL THROUGH 50,000

With the Invesco Perpetual Series games against New Zealand (5 November), South Africa (19 November) and Australia (26 November) already 74,000 sell-outs, it means the Welsh Rugby Union have already sold 272,000 of the 296,000 tickets available for the four matches this month. While those figures are already record highs for a November series, the Fijian attendance will break a mark that has stood for 41 years.

You have to go back to 26 September, 1964 – the first time Fiji toured in the UK – for the biggest crowd to watch them in Wales. There were 50,000 at Cardiff Arms Park to see the tourists run in six tries as they gave Brian Price’s Welsh side the fright of their lives.

Many people still talk about the day they first saw Fiji lose 28-22 to Wales in a match that had 13 tries. The current Fijian squad, which recently beat Samoa and qualified as runners-up in the Pacific Pool to join Australia and Wales in the 2007 Rugby World Cup, is full of flair players and will play with exactly the same style as their predecessors did in the sixties.

“It’s great to have broken the record for the Fijian match already, but we would love to fill the Millennium Stadium to ensure that Mike Ruddock’s team gets the full support of the nation to face their 2007 Rugby World Cup rivals Fiji,” said Millennium Stadium chief executive Paul Sergeant.

“With so few tickets left for the Friday clash with Fiji we are expecting them all to go before the day of the game. Tickets are on sale from the Millennium Stadium ticket office in St Mary Street and via the internet, so my advice to anyone who wants to see Wales play on 11 November is to buy sooner rather than later.”

Wales’ current record against Fiji is eight wins from eight, with just five of those games being awarded caps. And it could be a special night for Stephen Jones, the ASM Clermont Auvergne outside half.

He wins his 49th cap against the All Blacks on Saturday, which will put him in line to lead out the team against Fiji (if selected) and become only the 16th player to play 50 times for Wales.

Already more tickets have already been sold for this year’s November Tests than were sold last season, when a record 221,158 watched the matches against South Africa, Romania, New Zealand and Japan, and with tickets priced at just £10 for adults and £5 for children it is a fantastic chance to enjoy a special family night out at the home of Welsh sport.

Tickets can be purchased by phone on 08705 582582 or online via the Ticketmaster website, www.ticketmaster.co.uk. They are also available at the Millennium Stadium Ticket Office at 101, St Mary Street, Cardiff.

THE INVESCO PERPETUAL SERIES: Saturday, 5 November – WALES V NEW ZEALAND (SOLD OUT); Friday, 11 November – WALES V FIJI (Only 24,000 tickets left); Saturday, November 19 – WALES V SOUTH AFRICA (SOLD OUT); Saturday, 26 November – WALES V AUSTRALIA (SOLD OUT)