RBS Six Nations 2011 to start on a Friday

[Getofmeland]

It was announced today by the Six Nations that the 2011 RBS 6 Nations
Championship will for the first time in the Championship's history kick off
on a Friday on the 4th February with Wales v England in Cardiff. The
Schedule was finalised with a view to showcasing this fantastic fixture and
make this great Rugby occasion available to as many people as possible.

The 2010 Championship was again a huge success with a fantastic finale in
Paris witnessed by a record French TV audience.

The final weekend of the 2011 Championship should again provide plenty of
excitement with 3 exhilarating fixtures (Scotland v Italy, Ireland v England
and France v Wales).

In yet another exciting development 2011 will also see the Irish team return
to their traditional home in Lansdowne Road at the new Aviva Stadium after 4
wonderful seasons in their adopted home of Croke Park.

David Pickering, Chairman of the Six Nations Council, said: "The RBS 6
Nations Championship remains the envy of the rugby world, a tournament
played with pride and passion and drenched in history and tradition".

The 2011 RBS 6 Nations dates are:

RBS Six Nations Fixture Schedule 2011
All UK time - Add 1 hour for France and Italy

Friday 4th February - Wales v England - 7.45pm
Saturday 5th February - Italy v Ireland - 2.30pm
Saturday 5th February - France v Scotland - 5pm

Saturday 12th February - England v Italy - 2.30pm
Saturday 12th February - Scotland v Wales - 5pm
Sunday 13th February - Ireland v France - 3pm

19/20 February Free

Saturday 26th February - Italy v Wales - 2.30pm
Saturday 26th February - England v France - 5pm
Sunday 27th February - Scotland v Ireland - 3pm

5/6 March Free

Saturday 12th March - Italy v France - 2.30pm
Saturday 12th March - Wales v Ireland - 5pm
Sunday 13th March - England v Scotland - 3pm

Saturday 19th March - Scotland v Italy - 2.30pm
Saturday 19th March - Ireland v England - 5pm
Saturday 19th March - France v Wales - 7.45pm

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Well Friday Night Games got introduced and Now the Tournament starts on Friday Night in Cardiff...

Is this a good thing for the Tournament??

 

[Cymro]

Not again.

Cardiff will once again be soulless and I'm getting fed up and tired of this Friday night business. About time someone else has a turn instead of us.

 

[thewledge]

The Welsh get screwed by Friday night games, why is ot us who always have to play in them???

I think Roger Lewis and David Pickering are to blame, enough is enough with Friday night games

 

[dullonien]

Well, the WRU are obviously getting offered big bucks by the Beeb to have it on a Frieday night. Why is it soulless on the Friday night Cymro? Would have thought the atmosphere would be 100x better than Sunday, where people can't get smashed before, during and afterwards due to work the next day.

Only real problem I can see is the clash of rush-rour traffic and traffic getting in and out of Cardiff for the game.

From someone who can't make it to Cardiff for the game, it's a nice Friday night in a pub with some mates watching the game. Overall, definately better than Sundays imo.

 

[Cymro]

Well Cardiff becomes dead ... all the people go home and the centre becomes dead. Usually on a Saturday or Sunday there is the hustle and bustle in the centre. But during the France game the centre was dead. There was no atmosphere and the people who I spoke to after the game were very much of the same opinion.

 

[Getofmeland]

Might I just add as well the friday games, mean the nice people who work or live to far have to take a day off or day out of school to go and watch it... whereas on Saturday's or Sunday's is more family orientated... Especially for Youngsters who get the chance to see their heroes play...

 

[gingergenius]

don't go with all that youngsters and heroes bs, they can watch them at any of the other welsh games on saturdays or sundays throughout the year.

I'm also surprised that the city centre of Cardiff could be dead on a Friday night, seeing as Friday and Saturday nights are the biggest of the week. I've found in the past that Friday night games are a perfect way to start your evening's drinking.

What is silly is that England always seem to have to play Wales in their first 6N fixture.

 

[Cymro]

don't go with all that youngsters and heroes bs, they can watch them at any of the other welsh games on saturdays or sundays throughout the year.

I'm also surprised that the city centre of Cardiff could be dead on a Friday night, seeing as Friday and Saturday nights are the biggest of the week. I've found in the past that Friday night games are a perfect way to start your evening's drinking.

What is silly is that England always seem to have to play Wales in their first 6N fixture.

Transport is a major problem and think of it this way ... Wales is a very difficult country to journey in. People moan in England they have to travel on a motorway for a hours, well try it on the crap roads of Wales! Trains struggled last year and so did the buses, all in all the game last 6 Nations was a shambles, as Arriva had not agreed to put extra buses and trains on and despite warning the WRU nothing was done about it.
The sentiment is echoed in THIS new paper article.

To top it off David Pickering has not a clue ... it's all about the money according to him. Click Here.

 

[dullonien]

Everyone I spoke to who went to the game, or were in Cardiff for the game v France said the atmosphere was great in the city centre, due to all the French fans arriving early and many people starting ther usual Friday night out by watching the rugby!

The late kick off isn't ideal, as the game won't finish untill close to 10pm, making it a late one for many. For anyone travelling the length of Wales from the North it'll take a good 4-5 hours + the extra time to get out of Cardiff itself. It'll probably end up being a good 3 hours back to Aberystwyth! It will also make it difficult for many fans to get to Cardiff in time, since the majority of people don't finish work till 5 or 5:30. It's certainly not great for family's.

However, poor public transport really shouldn't be a problem. No-one would dream of using public transport to get to Cardiff from North or Mid Wales in the first place, as it's a hell of a journey, taking you out of Wales to Shrewsburry or even Birmingham before returning. Usually something like 5 hours from Aberystwyth, when it's only 2 in a car!

Arriva really need to stop moaning when something like this get's organised. Why didn't they provide extra train carriages and buses last year? Surely it's a good opportunity to make extra money, but instead they refuse point blank. Same bloody thing when I travell home to Aberystwyth on the train on a Friday night. From Birmingham they provide two carriages, even though every friday it's packed to the top, people having to stand the 2+ hour journey. You'd think they'd learn and stick another carriage on for peak times! Useless.

Overall, if alot of people don't like it, they should stop. But I'd personally enjoy a Friday night game, watch the game then get ****** on the town afterwards.

Edit: I also don't understand why it's always Wales v England on the first weekend! 2005, 2008, 2010 and now 2011 I think!

Good fixture list for Wales though. England at home first up, followed by Scotland and Italy away (all three very winnable), followed by Ireland at home (again, winnable), then finally France away.

 

[Cymro]

I don't buy the argument 'people like it' on a Friday night, there is massive up roar already about it and also the fact the pundits last year said Cardiff lacked the atmosphere. You can tell atmosphere's at the end of the game ... no matter what Wales do there are always people on the street, well after the France game there was only the fans leaving the stadium. Cardiff was quiet and that is from my own experience, after living there for a year for uni I know what its like.

The reason why France packed Cardiff was because they shut up early. The Frenchman who was next to me explained that some school's / businesses closed so that fans could travel. The life for some.

 

[Feicarsinn]

I love friday games, any game played at night seems to have an enhanced athmospere about it in my books. Apart from that, great last weekend. 3 cracking games on a super saturday.

 

[SelimNiai]

How are the fixtures made anyway, is it an agreement between the 6 Unions or is it a lucky dip system. Its ridculous we play England first again, 2000,2005,2006,2008,2010 and 2011

 

[coonor]

Everyone I spoke to who went to the game, or were in Cardiff for the game v France said the atmosphere was great in the city centre, due to all the French fans arriving early and many people starting ther usual Friday night out by watching the rugby!

The late kick off isn't ideal, as the game won't finish untill close to 10pm, making it a late one for many. For anyone travelling the length of Wales from the North it'll take a good 4-5 hours + the extra time to get out of Cardiff itself. It'll probably end up being a good 3 hours back to Aberystwyth! It will also make it difficult for many fans to get to Cardiff in time, since the majority of people don't finish work till 5 or 5:30. It's certainly not great for family's.

However, poor public transport really shouldn't be a problem. No-one would dream of using public transport to get to Cardiff from North or Mid Wales in the first place, as it's a hell of a journey, taking you out of Wales to Shrewsburry or even Birmingham before returning. Usually something like 5 hours from Aberystwyth, when it's only 2 in a car!

Arriva really need to stop moaning when something like this get's organised. Why didn't they provide extra train carriages and buses last year? Surely it's a good opportunity to make extra money, but instead they refuse point blank. Same bloody thing when I travell home to Aberystwyth on the train on a Friday night. From Birmingham they provide two carriages, even though every friday it's packed to the top, people having to stand the 2+ hour journey. You'd think they'd learn and stick another carriage on for peak times! Useless.

Overall, if alot of people don't like it, they should stop. But I'd personally enjoy a Friday night game, watch the game then get ****** on the town afterwards.

Edit: I also don't understand why it's always Wales v England on the first weekend! 2005, 2008, 2010 and now 2011 I think!

Good fixture list for Wales though. England at home first up, followed by Scotland and Italy away (all three very winnable), followed by Ireland at home (again, winnable), then finally France away.

I wouldn't make any predictions so soon, it could all change. Last six nations has showed us that anything can happen. I wonder how the nations will use the 6 nations for preperation for the world cup

 

[Cymro]

Can predicts all he wants, there is no harm in it.

 

[SelimNiai]

Can predicts all he wants, there is no harm in it.

On that note, the early odds are...

France 7/4
Ireland 11/4
England 7/2
Wales 4/1
Scotland 12/1
Italy 100/1

 

[coonor]

Can predicts all he wants, there is no harm in it.

well if he's going to make a pediction at least make a good one hahahaha

 

[dullonien]

Well I didn't exactly predict anything..... I merely mentioned that the first four games are very winnable. If were looking to improve on this years performance and looking to do well in the WC then we've gotta be targeting home wins + at least Italy away. Scotland are improving, so demanding an away win in Murrayfield is a little unfair, but I'll do it anyway France away can all come down to how we've performed up untill that point.

There we go, a little more predicting there than in my last post. Haha

Edit: the grand slam is ours already biatches........