Wales is set to face formidable competition in the upcoming autumn international series in Cardiff, with Fiji, Australia, and South Africa scheduled to appear in November. Two Sunday games are on the horizon for fans, where the Welsh team will take on their challenging opponents.
The campaign commences with a clash against Fiji on Sunday, 10 November, followed by a match against Australia a week later. The series will culminate with a highly anticipated match against world champions South Africa on Saturday, 23 November.
It is noteworthy that there will be no additional fourth match scheduled outside of World Rugby’s international window. This decision marks a departure from the Welsh Rugby Union’s traditional practice of organizing an extra match in November to generate revenue. This change means that for the first time since 2000, Wales will only play three home matches in the autumn, excluding World Cup years where the series does not take place.
Despite an invitation from second-tier champions Georgia for a match in Tbilisi, Wales will not be taking it up this autumn. Nevertheless, Nigel Walker, the Welsh Rugby Union’s executive director of rugby, expressed enthusiasm for the upcoming Autumn Nations Series, especially with three significant southern hemisphere opponents lined up in quick succession. With fixtures against Fiji, Australia, and South Africa, this series promises to be an exciting one for Wales, coinciding with the celebration of Principality Stadium’s 25th anniversary.
Walker noted, “This is an exciting Autumn Nations Series schedule for Wales, with fixtures against three key southern hemisphere opposition in quick succession. We look forward to welcoming Fiji, Australia and South Africa to Principality Stadium this November as we celebrate the stadium’s 25th anniversary. That is a particularly fitting milestone when we face the Springboks in our series finale having played them in the stadium’s first international fixture back in 1999.”
Despite finishing at the bottom of the 2024 Six Nations, Wales remains a formidable force on their home turf. South Africa coach Rassie Erasmus acknowledged this, stating, “Wales may have had a disappointing Six Nations campaign, but they are always a force to be reckoned with at home. So we know we have to be at the top of our game when we line up against them.”
In the lead-up to the Autumn Nations Series, Gatland’s team will also be squaring off against South Africa in Twickenham on 22 June, followed by two Tests against Australia on 6 July in Sydney and seven days later in Melbourne. The season will conclude with a friendly match against Queensland Reds in Brisbane on 19 July, bringing an end to a demanding season that includes a total of 18 Wales matches.
The fixtures for the Wales Autumn Nations Series are as follows:
– Sunday, 10 November: Wales v Fiji (13:40 GMT)
– Sunday, 17 November: Wales v Australia (16:10 GMT)
– Saturday, 23 November: Wales v South Africa (17:40 GMT)
Both Wales fans and rugby enthusiasts can anticipate an exhilarating series of matches as the Welsh team takes on formidable opponents in the Autumn Nations Series.