Six Nations To Open With Friday Night Fixture

The Six Nations will kick off on a Friday night for the first time in its history after the tournament organisers released the 2011 fixture calendar with Wales and England to play the opening match at Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium on 4th February.

Friday night fixtures were introduced in 2009 when France hosted Wales at the Stade de France before the corresponding game in Cardiff this year.

However the 2011 tournament will mark the first time the Six Nations has opened with a Friday night game and seen two of the home nations competing in the time slot.

The initiative has sparked complaints from both fans and players who would rather play on traditional weekend days.

Rugby fans have bemoaned the inconvenience of internationals on work days, citing travelling to games in time for kick-off as the major difficulty.

However Six Nations organising committee is keen to continue the Friday night experiment because it brings in a wider television audience and other commercial rewards.

A BBC spokesman said: ‘The Six Nations committee decide on the schedule of the championship, and it was their choice to have this Friday night fixture, but the BBC is happy to support it.

‘The Friday night matches have proved successful over the last two years, with over five million viewers tuning on both occasions.’

The 2011 season will also see Ireland return to Lansdowne Road for the first time in four years.

Gaelic games stadium Croke Park has hosted Ireland’s home Test matches in the past four years during the construction of the new Aviva Stadium, which is set to be completed by the end of the month.

RBS Six Nations fixture list in full (UK time):

Friday, 4 February:
Wales v England (1945 GMT)

Saturday, 5 February:
Italy v Ireland (1430 GMT), France v Scotland (1700 GMT)

Saturday, 12 February:
England v Italy (1430 GMT), Scotland v Wales (1700 BST)

Sunday, 13 February:
Ireland v France (1500 GMT)

Saturday, 26 February:
Italy v Wales (1430 GMT), England v France (1700 GMT)

Sunday, 27 February:
Scotland v Ireland (1500 GMT)

Saturday, 12 March:
Italy v France (1430 GMT), Wales v Ireland (1700 GMT)

Sunday, 13 March:
England v Scotland (1500 GMT)

Saturday 19 March:
Scotland v Italy (1430 GMT), Ireland v England (1700 GMT), France v Wales (1945 GMT)