The reigning Northern Hemisphere Champions of 2012 and 2013 face the Springboks in Cardiff on Saturday 9th November (Kick-off 5.30pm), the Pumas arrive a week later on Saturday 16th November (Kick-off 2.30pm) before Tonga come to town on Friday 22nd November (Kick-off 7.30pm) and finally the Wallabies on Saturday 30th November (Kick-off 5.00pm).
As part of the WRU constitution, tickets for international matches are offered for sale via its 314 member clubs for a significant period before public sale, but the time has now come to make tickets for the November Autumn Series freely available on the open market.
The WRU has noticed a huge upsurge in interest in tickets, measured via official supporters club members, online pre-registration for tickets and social media channels, since the dramatic climax of the British and Irish Lions tour of Australia.
Fans who pre-registered online for the opportunity to buy tickets snapped up in excess of 50,000 in the last week, with official supporters club members and rugby clubs themselves also buying in large numbers after being handed the right of first refusal – huge numbers considering the Series opener is still more than three months away.
Tickets to see Warren Gatland’s Wales face the Wallabies in Cardiff have been particularly popular since that fourth fixture was added to the calendar, but it is the first up Prince William Cup meeting with the Springboks which will set the tone for the Autumn:
“It will be great for the team to be back at the Millennium Stadium, in front of their home fans and to return to the scene of the RBS 6 Nations title victory, clinched earlier this year,” said returning Wales head coach Gatland, who sat out the majority of the 2012/13 international season whilst on secondment to the Lions.
“This autumn we welcome three Rugby Championship sides as well as Tonga to Cardiff for what will be a testing series.
“South Africa, Australia and Argentina will arrive in the UK on top form off the back of the Rugby Championship and they will be looking to make a point against us as the Six Nations Champions.
“We have always thrived on testing ourselves against the best and we will be doing that again in November and it will be ideal preparation going into the Six Nations early next year.
“We have had some big battles in the November Series, against South Africa and Australia particularly in recent times, pushing them close last summer and losing in the final minute in Cardiff last autumn.
“It is another chance for us to lay down a marker and for the returning British and Irish Lions to pick up from where they left off this summer.”
Wales provided 16 players to the successful British and Irish Lions squad which toured down under this summer, and seven members of the back room staff including Gatland, Rob Howley and Neil Jenkins.
Elsewhere, in excess of 100 players represented Wales on the international scene this summer, if you add the Lions tour to Australia, Wales’ tour of Japan, the Womens’ squads outings, the U20s – who reached the World Championship final – and the Sevens team who made a valiant attempt to defend their RSWC title in Russia.
The challenge now is to bring success on the road back to Cardiff in a typically tough series of Autumn matches which will be a mouth-watering prospect for Welsh rugby fans.
“All our indications are that fans are desperate to see those Welsh Lions compete in Welsh colours at the Millennium Stadium,” said WRU head of sales and marketing Craig Maxwell.
“Sales of tickets to supporters club members and to fans who have pre-registered their interest online have been unprecedented.
“The Lions’ success in Australia this summer has obviously whetted the appetite and rugby fans throughout Wales and beyond are once again proving that their desire for top class international rugby is insatiable.
“After the likes of Sam Warburton, Jamie Roberts, Leigh Halfpenny and Jonathan Davies swelled national pride with their performances down under the fixture with the Springboks has the potential to turn into a real home-coming for not just those Lions heroes but also for Warren Gatland and his coaches.
“The Autumn Series comes with its own challenges for the players and the coaches but it is a magnificent festival of rugby for the spectators with four tough fixtures on back-to-back weekends in November.
“After the opener, the Pumas are the next of the Southern Hemisphere powers to test themselves against the side which has lost just one match in the last two years of the RBS 6 Nations Championship.
“Then the tough tackling Tongans are in town for Friday night rugby which is priced to attract a family audience.
“Finally the Wallabies will bring all the drama and romance associated with a re-match against the large Welsh contingent of the successful 2013 British and Irish Lions tour to Cardiff on the final Saturday in November.”
Tickets will be available online at www.wru.co.uk/tickets 12 NOON on Monday 22nd July.
Wales International Fixtures Autumn Series 2013:
Wales v South Africa – Saturday, 9 November, Kick-Off 5.30pm – £70 / £60 / £40 / £25
Wales v Argentina – Saturday, 16 November, Kick-Off 2.30pm – £40 / £30 / £10 concession (U16) /£70 Family ticket 2 adults + 2 concessions
Wales v Tonga – Friday, 22 November, Kick-Off 7.30pm – £25 / £10 concession/ £60 Family ticket 2 adult + 2 concession/ Minis/Juniors/Schools offer, with every 8 concessions purchased earn 2 adult tickets free
Wales v Australia – Saturday, 30 November, Kick-Off 5.00pm – £70 / £60 / £40 / £25
