Six Nations: Wales v Italy

Matblack · 25-02-2008, 11:53

On Saturday we went to the Millenium Stadium Cardiff to see the Wales v Italy match, this was my first taste of live international rugby, in fact it was my first live rugby match at anything above school level and my first major sporting event outside of athletics!

What an amazing atmosphere it was, we were staying in Bristol and traveled to Cardiff in a train packed with Wales fans and the odd Italy fan dotted about. I was really suprised at the friendliness of all the fans both to them comrades and also to the opposition fans, there was more agression from the moaning English on the train both before and after than from the Itallians. Cardiff was populated by fans and the stadiium is literally in the city centre so we had wander about and a quick drink in St Davids Hall which had a projector ready for those without tickets.

Both sets of fans put on a great display with the Itallians singing and chanting and the Welsh laughing and pointing

We got seated pretty sharpish with pints of wine bought from caterers

and spent the run up to the match marvelling over the selection of different people from toddlers with face paint and dragon hats to 80 year old couples who had come from all over to cheer for their team. We had Italians behind us who bellowed their national anthem and shook hands with us before the match and wished us luck.

The game wizzed by in a flash, I remember jumping up and down, screeming and being on the edge of my seat at times, singing Bread of Heaven and generally having a great time.

We couldn't have been further away from the pitch (right up in the Gods) but the view was amazing and I got a view of rugby which you seem to miss on TV, a team moving as a single animal constantly reforming and setting up the next play, rather than individuals. I have to admit at anyone time I didn't know which player was which, but it didn't matter because we were watching a team, single minded and comited.

Twice the Italian's bounced penalties off the posts to the great delight of the Welsh fans, those posts were definately made of Welsh wood!

And a resounding victory to top it all off

47-8

The exit from the ground was amazingly well organised and we were on a train and traveling back within 30 minutes of the end of the match despite long queues the whole exercise was well organised and easy with no worrying about getting the right train.

I can highly recomend the Millenium Stadium as a venue for a big event

Makes you proud to be ...........er...........British

MB

25-02-2008, 11:53	#1
Matblack Baby Bore Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Svalbard Posts: 9,770	Six Nations: Wales v Italy On Saturday we went to the Millenium Stadium Cardiff to see the Wales v Italy match, this was my first taste of live international rugby, in fact it was my first live rugby match at anything above school level and my first major sporting event outside of athletics! What an amazing atmosphere it was, we were staying in Bristol and traveled to Cardiff in a train packed with Wales fans and the odd Italy fan dotted about. I was really suprised at the friendliness of all the fans both to them comrades and also to the opposition fans, there was more agression from the moaning English on the train both before and after than from the Itallians. Cardiff was populated by fans and the stadiium is literally in the city centre so we had wander about and a quick drink in St Davids Hall which had a projector ready for those without tickets. Both sets of fans put on a great display with the Itallians singing and chanting and the Welsh laughing and pointing We got seated pretty sharpish with pints of wine bought from caterers and spent the run up to the match marvelling over the selection of different people from toddlers with face paint and dragon hats to 80 year old couples who had come from all over to cheer for their team. We had Italians behind us who bellowed their national anthem and shook hands with us before the match and wished us luck. The game wizzed by in a flash, I remember jumping up and down, screeming and being on the edge of my seat at times, singing Bread of Heaven and generally having a great time. We couldn't have been further away from the pitch (right up in the Gods) but the view was amazing and I got a view of rugby which you seem to miss on TV, a team moving as a single animal constantly reforming and setting up the next play, rather than individuals. I have to admit at anyone time I didn't know which player was which, but it didn't matter because we were watching a team, single minded and comited. Twice the Italian's bounced penalties off the posts to the great delight of the Welsh fans, those posts were definately made of Welsh wood! And a resounding victory to top it all off 47-8 The exit from the ground was amazingly well organised and we were on a train and traveling back within 30 minutes of the end of the match despite long queues the whole exercise was well organised and easy with no worrying about getting the right train. I can highly recomend the Millenium Stadium as a venue for a big event Makes you proud to be ...........er...........British MB __________________ "we had roots that grew towards each other underground, and when all the pretty blossom had fallen from our branches we found that we were one tree and not two"