“Wales is delighted to be involved in the ongoing experiment in the fixture schedule which means we accommodate France at the Millennium Stadium on Friday 26th February at 8pm,” said Pickering.
“The match in Paris last year generated the biggest TV audience for a game in France at an average audience of 5.9m and TV audiences throughout the UK, Ireland and Italy where the second largest of all the fifteen tournament games, at 11m.
“We had a sell-out Stade de France crowd, a tremendous atmosphere and produced one of the best matches of the tournament for the neutral.
“In Wales we would obviously like to reverse the result next year, but we are very much looking forward to what should be a great night out in Cardiff for the fans, a bumper TV audience and a magnificent atmosphere for the players within the confines of the Millennium Stadium.
“Our own rugby clubs, with Cross Keys RFC being a prime example, have reported a genuine positive impact from the Friday night fixture with club-houses around Wales full to the rafters and record takings being reported in the bars.
“The practice will be reviewed after the two-year period agreed by the Six Nations Board and properly evaluated, but we are starting to see genuine reasons for saying the experiment is a successful one.
“The new TV deal itself has provided a welcome boost to WRU coffers and it must be noted that Wales has not had a home Sunday fixture to contend with for three seasons now.
“The schedule always throws up individual difficulties for every team and all sides have different elements to cope with in a season, but we are embracing Friday nights and the commercial impact for us has already been rewarding.”
RBS 6 Nations Championship 2010 Fixture Schedule
(ALL TIMES GMT)
Week 1
Saturday 6th February
14:30 – Ireland v Italy
17:00 – England v Wales
Sunday 7th February
15:00 – Scotland v France
Week 2
Saturday 13th February
14:00 – Wales v Scotland
16:30 (17:30 local) – France v Ireland
Sunday 14th February
14.30 (15:30 local) – Italy v England
Week 3
20/21 February – Rest Weekend
Week 4
Friday 26th February
20:00 – Wales v France
Saturday 27th February
13:30 (14:30 local) – Italy v Scotland
16:00 – England v Ireland
Week 5
6/7 March – Rest Weekend
Week 6
Saturday 13th March
14:30 – Ireland v Wales
17:00 – Scotland v England
Sunday 14th March
14:30 (15.30 local) – France v Italy
Week 7
Saturday 20th March
14:30 – Wales v Italy
17:00 – Ireland v Scotland
19:45 (20:45 local) – France v England
