The 8,500 record home gate, set last year against England next door at Cardiff Arms Park, has already been beaten with nearly 10,000 tickets now sold for the final round clash – and a strong ‘walk up’ crowd expected for the 12.15pm kick-off in Cardiff.
Fans are staying loyal to Wales in this year’s competition, keeping turnstiles spinning despite results not going the way of the team in red so far, rewarding the decision to move this next match ‘next door’ to Principality Stadium as the nation’s support for international women’s rugby continues to grow.
Since facing England in front of a sell-out Arms Park crowd in 2023, Wales have welcomed Scotland in their first round match this season in front a 5,965 and France, in round four, in front of 5,786, breaking the records for each fixture on home soil.
Georgia Evans drives into the heart of the French defence
Captain Hannah Jones’ side are now set to draw their biggest ever visiting crowd for a stand-alone fixture on Saturday.
Wales face Italy in the final, climactic round of the competition, battling to avoid a bottom of the table finish, but also looking to qualify automatically for the prestigious WXV 2 competition in South Africa with a bonus point win*.
Whilst results haven’t gone Wales’ way in the 2024 competition so far, a spirited display against a France side ranked five spots ahead of them in the world rankings has obviously captured the public’s imagination ahead the Azzurri clash.
Of course, Principality Stadium boasts 74,500 seats, so Wales won’t be playing to a sold-out crowd, but they’ll still smash previous attendance records.
“The fans have really stuck with us and that has been so important to us,” said Wales captain and centre Jones.
Wales captain Hannah Jones signs autographs and poses for photographs with players involved in the Urdd WRU 7s
“This is when we need them most, when we need their support because these are tough times.
“Losing hurts us and we want to put that right and we are determined to do so against Italy this weekend, for ourselves, but also for your loyal and vocal fans.
“It is so uplifting to see the young girls in the crowd, to hear the voices during our matches and to see them waiting in the stands afterwards to support us, no matter what the result.
“We know the fans are right behind us every step of the way and it makes such a difference to us.”
In the 2018 Six Nations Wales faced Italy in a double-header event (so not a stand-alone fixture) alongside a senior men’s international, also against Italy, and the official attendance given that day was 11,062.
It was the second time the two teams had played at Principality Stadium and Hannah Jones (at full-back), Jasmine Joyce, Kerin Lake, Keira Bevan, Carys Phillips, Beth Lewis and Alisha Butchers, from the current squad, were in starting XV on that day.
The record for any senior women’s home game is the NON-TEST against the Barbarians in 2019 – also a double-header – which was watched by 12,600 supporters, so it is possible that two further records could fall this Saturday if supporters turn out in their droves as expected.
Wales Sisilia Tuipulotu signs autographs
Welsh Rugby Union interim head of performance Huw Bevan, who is running a two-day Women in Sport conference at the Stadium on Friday and Saturday to coincide with the Test-match added:
“This is an amazing time for women’s sport and for women’s rugby in particular.
“The game is growing at an exponential rate across the world.
“Over the next couple of days, we intend to share our plans for women’s rugby in Wales and we will also highlight and discuss topics that are relevant to everyone who works with women athletes.”
*Wales will come fifth in the 2024 Championship if they beat Italy with a bonus point (BP), and Italy get no BP, and Ireland lose to Scotland with no BP, and they have a greater points difference then Ireland and Italy – this would mean: WXV 2 Qualification.
Wales will come 6th if they draw or lose to Italy – WXV 2 Playoff against Spain.
Wales will come 6th if they beat Italy with no BP – WXV 2 Playoff against Spain.
Wales will come 6th if they beat Italy with a BP, and Italy get no BP, and Ireland lose to Scotland with no BP, but Ireland and Italy have a greater points difference – WXV 2 Playoff against Spain.
Tickets to watch Wales play Italy in the final round Guinnness Six Nations match at 12:15pm on Saturday are available to purchase now at www.wru.wales/tickets
Tickets also grant access to three community game finals as follows:
Women’s Bowl Final 15:00hrs – Cymry Caerdydd v Old Penarthians RFC
Women’s Plate Final 1715hrs – Bonymaen v Haverfordwest
Women’s Cup Final 19.30hrs – Llandaff North v Seven Sisters
(All three community matches will also be streamed live on S4C Clic)
