England and Ireland travel to Principality Stadium for the Under Armour Summer Series next month, with England already sold-out and Ireland well on the way.
Since the first comparative fixture ahead of the 1991 World Cup – a loss to France in front of 40,000 in Cardiff – Wales have prepared for rugby’s showpiece tournament with a total of 19 games against a wide variety of opposition, including a RWC qualifier in 1994.
Wales’ record is 11 wins and eight losses in the games with the likes of South Africa, Argentina and Canada all featuring, but France and Ireland (both 3) and England (4) have appeared most often to date.
Across the 19 games attendance has surpassed 70,000 on three occasions – in the home and away matches against England in 2011 and Ireland’s visit to Cardiff in 2015 – but there has not yet been a ‘series’ sell-out.
Wales’ have won one of the four previous clashes with England in the fixture (at home in 2011) and Ireland were beaten in Cardiff in 2015, but won in Dublin the same year and in 2003.
“It comes as absolutely no surprise that our meeting with England in Cardiff this summer has sold-out a month in advance and the fantastic support we have in Wales will surely produce a similar result for the clash with Ireland two weeks later,” said WRU chairman Gareth Davies.
“Warren Gatland has already produced a Guinness Six Nations Grand Slam in his final season in charge and the hopes of a nation will travel with him and his Welsh squad to Japan in September.
“The Ireland match is our last chance to both give Warren the send-off he deserves in his last game on home soil and ensure that our players leave these shores with the encouraging sounds of a capacity Principality Stadium crowd ringing in their ears.
“It will also be a game for the rugby purists with RWC places acutely at stake, as squads are set to be named in the days that follow, and the possibility of a late run for selection from unexpected quarters is there to excite us all.”
Before the last RWC, England2015, when the Ireland warm-up fixture reached 73,500, a crowd of 52,981 turned out to watch Wales beat Italy.
In 2011 the England fixture stopped just short of the Principality Stadium’s 74,500 capacity at 73,307 and Argentina went on to attract a 51,951-strong crowd, while the Barbarians attracted 31,232
No fixtures in 2007 sold-out, with England the top draw on 66,131, behind France on 49,655 and Argentina, which reached 36,736, and the same applies to 2003 when England again visited Cardiff and 66,000 watched the visitors win.
The Stadium was necessarily at varying stages of part-capacity for all three matches in 1999, against South Africa (29,000), Canada (50,000) and France (62,500), with the famous victory over the Springboks coming in the new venue’s inaugural fixture – which was 20 years ago this month (July).
Ahead of 1995 qualifying matches were played with Portugal, Spain and Romania in the previous season, before Italy were dispatched at the National Stadium Cardiff Arms Park and, in 1991, France was the only pre-tournament fixture.
Prior to the inaugural RWC in 1987, no preparatory games were played.
Remaining tickets for the Under Armour Summer Series clash with Ireland are priced from £40, (£10 U16s tickets have been available across more than half the seats in the ground) are still available here www.wru.wales/tickets .
Official Hospitality Packages are available for both matches from 02920 822 413 or visit www.wru.wales/hospitality, official travel packages can be purchased from the WRU’s official travel supplier, Gullivers Sports Travel by visiting www.gulliverstravel.co.uk and some member clubs may also still have tickets.
Following the Series meetings and away clashes in August and September Wales’ 31-man squad will arrive in Japan on 12 September, eleven days ahead of their tournament opener against Georgia in Tokyo.
Wales will train at the impressive City of Kitakyushu Stadium, the same venue at which the WRU kicked off their partnership with the City with the delivery of a range of community activities recently.
After 48 matches involving 20 teams, Japan 2019 will culminate with the final on 2nd November at Yokohama Stadium.
Wales’ 2019 Under Armour Summer Series fixtures:
Wales vs England: Principality Stadium, Saturday 17th August 2019 – Kick Off: 14:15hrs – SOLD OUT
Wales vs Ireland: Principality Stadium, Saturday 31st August 2019 – Kick Off: 14:30hrs. remaining price categories: £70, £60 (£10 U16 concession available), *£40 (£10 U16 concession available)
*Alcohol Free Zone tickets are also in this category
Wales’ away summer fixtures:
England v Wales (Twickenham) Sunday 11 August
Ireland v Wales (Aviva Stadium) Saturday 7 September
Wales in Japan, RWC 2019:
Wales v Georgia – Toyota City, 23rd September, 11:15am (GMT)
Australia v Wales – Tokyo, 29th September, 8:45am (GMT)
Wales v Fiji – Oita, 9th October, 10:45am (GMT)
Wales v Uruguay – Kumamoto City, 13 October, 9:15am (GMT)
Wales fixtures played head of Rugby World Cups:
1987
None
1991
SEPTEMBER
WED 4 H France L 9-22 National Stadium Att: 40,000
1994
OCTOBER
WED 12 H Italy W 29-19 National Stadium, Att: 40,000 Rugby World Cup Qualifier
1999
JUNE
Sat 26 H South Africa W 29-19 Millennium Stadium, 29,000
AUGUST
SAT 21 H Cananda W 33-19 Millennium Stadium, Att: 50,000
SAT 28 H France W 34-23 Millennium Stadium, Att: 62,500
2003
AUGUST 2003
SAT 16 A Ireland L 35-12 Aviva Stadium, Att: 20,000
SAT 23 H England L 9-43 Millennium Stadium, Att: 66,000
WED 27 H Romania W 54-8 Racecourse Ground, Att: 12,000
SAT 30 H Scotland W 23-9 Millennium Stadium, Att: 24,740
AUGUST 2007
SAT 4 A England L 62-5 Twickenham Stadium Att: 66,131
SAT 18 H Argentina W 27-20 Millennium Stadium Att: 36,736
SUN 26 H France L 7-34 Millennium Stadium Att: 49,655,
JUNE 2011
SAT 4 H Barbarians L 28-31 Millennium Principality Stadium, Att: 31,232
AUGUST
SAT 6 A England L 23-19 Twickenham Stadium, Att: 80,945
SAT 13 H England W 19-9 Millennium Stadium Att: 73,307
SAT 20 H Argentina W 28-13 Millennium Stadium Att: 51,951
AUGUST 2015
SAT 8 H Ireland L 21-35 Principality Stadium, Att: 73,500
SAT 29 A Ireland W 10-16 Aviva Stadium, Att: 47,430
SEPTEMBER 2015
SAT 5 H Italy W 23-19 Principality Stadium, Att: 52,981
