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Massive demand for Autumn Dove Men Series Tickets

Massive demand for Autumn Dove Men Series Tickets

Gary Williams23 Oct 2014 - 17:51
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The Millennium Stadium's Dove Men Series is on target to match its highest attendance figures this decade.

The Millennium Stadium's Dove Men Series is on target to match its highest attendance figures this decade with the New Zealand game heading for a sure fire sell-out and sales for the Fiji match in particular flying high.

With more than two weeks to go until the first clash of the 2014 series, against Australia on 8th November, the Welsh Rugby Union has confirmed over 200,000 tickets have already been issued across the four November matches to date – although fans will be pleased to know that the price C category (£40) tickets are still available for the Wallabies clash.

Wales' meeting with the All Blacks, the penultimate fixture of the campaign, will sell-out soon at current rates and the second match of the series - against Fiji on Saturday 15th November – is also proving to be particularly popular with fans and their families.

Fiji have visited Cardiff on five occasions beginning with a 40-3 victory for Wales at the old Cardiff Arms Park, attended by 40,000 fans and culminating in a thrilling 16-16 draw in front of 52,335 fans in 2010.

But since that tense affair in 2010 Wales recorded a 66-0 victory over Fiji in Waikato at the 2011 Rugby World Cup and it is likely to be the RWC-factor which is inspiring fans to turn out for Wales 2015 Pool A opponents this Autumn.

Since 2005 the All Blacks game has regularly sold-out, doing so in 06, 08, 09, 10 and 12. Australia was the last of the other Southern Hemisphere superpowers to sell-out in Cardiff (2009), but both the Wallabies and the Springboks also regularly attract in excess of 50,000 strong crowds at the Millennium Stadium.

The Millennium Stadium experience in 2014 has been enhanced by the installation of a new hybrid playing surface, in use for the first time against the Wallabies, and the full range of modern pre-match and in-game entertainment, on offer via the state-of-the-art big screens within the now renowned intimate and unique atmosphere of the ground.

"Conservative estimates tell us that the All Blacks game will reach capacity soon,” said WRU group chief executive Roger Lewis, who for the first time introduced concession tickets for Tier 1 Nations (Australia & South Africa) this year

"Both the Wallabies and the Springboks games are also selling well, although tickets remain available for both matches, but the fixture that is far exceeding expectations so far is the Fiji match.”

The highest collective figure of the decade for the series is 233,713 in 2010 with last year's attendance virtually matching that of the 2012 series at 226,258 and 226,702 respectively.

At current rates all three of these figures should be surpassed this year, with the WRU's #IAMWales ticket awareness campaign now in full swing and Wales coach Warren Gatland having this week announced his 34-man squad and confirming Sam Warburton as captain.

"It's no secret that a 2.30pm kick-off on a Saturday afternoon is a favourite with fans,” added Mr Lewis.

"Often the tier 2 nation game in the Autumn will sell at a slower rate, but we seem to have priced it right with family tickets and concessions available.

"There is obviously a World Cup factor which is also catching fans' interest and this is the last chance over the next two years for fans to see Wales take on the big Southern Hemisphere opposition in Cardiff, outside of the World Cup.

"We are delighted with how tickets are going for the Dove Men Series, the demand for purchases through our member rugby clubs, in advance of public sale, was particularly high this year after new incentives and a marketing campaign was launched to remind fans that clubs could benefit directly from their purchases.

"We are still advising fans that the best way to purchase tickets is through their local rugby clubs, but our key message today is to buy now to avoid disappointment as tickets are selling fast.”

Fans can be a part of the campaign and inspire the Wales team to victory this Autumn as they take on the All Blacks, the Springboks, the Wallabies and Fiji here http://www.wru.co.uk/iam

Tickets to watch Wales in the Dove Men Series 2014 at the Millennium Stadium, which sees Wales face Australia on Saturday 8th November (kick-off 2.30pm), Fiji on Satuday 15th November (2.30pm), New Zealand on Satruday 22nd November (5.30pm) and South Africa on Saturday 29th November (2.30pm) are available now from http://www.wru.co.uk/tickets or via your local rugby club.

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