Why are Wales playing late Friday night Six Nations game against France? 

WALES footwear disconnected their 2025 Six Nations run against France successful Paris connected Friday, January 31.

While breathtaking for viewers, Friday fixtures person go a taxable of statement wrong the rugby community. Here we instrumentality a look astatine the reasoning down these late-night Six Nations games.

The simplest mentation arsenic to wherefore immoderate teams play astatine this clip — and others bash not — is that Wales and France were the lone rugby teams to judge Friday nighttime Six Nations fixtures erstwhile they were proposed.

Transport issues

England and Ireland had refused, portion Scotland and Italy highlighted concerns astir assemblage sizes.

In 2017, a Rugby Football Union (RFU) connection said: "Our presumption hasn't changed.

"We don't mostly enactment Friday nighttime matches astatine Twickenham for a assortment of reasons, not slightest the challenges our fans person getting to and from the match."

Financial benefits

While besides noting issues regarding postulation and public transport during his tenure arsenic Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) chairman, Gareth Davies did admit the fiscal benefits.

Friday nighttime fixtures thin to merchantability retired the Principality Stadium.

He besides added that Friday nighttime matches were preferable to Sunday matches for the bulk of Welsh clubs.

Player performance

Former WRU main enforcement Steve Phillips pointed retired that matches connected Friday tin person benefits for the show of players.

It tin besides debar the six-day turnaround betwixt the team's opening and 2nd matches.

Steve said: “You are not going to get each crippled connected a Saturday, truthful it’s a prime of either a Friday oregon a Sunday.

“There is simply a commercialized speech but, much importantly, a show one.

“What the show teams are ever telling maine is effort and avoid, if possible, a six time turnaround, particularly if you are travelling to an distant match.

“Financially, a Friday is not arsenic bully arsenic a Saturday, but it’s astir apt amended than a Sunday.”

TV audiences

Another operator down the scheduling determination is the lucrative satellite of tv rights.

Friday nighttime matches pull prime-time audiences, which translates to invaluable broadcasting deals.

Six Nations organisers and broadcasters person progressively favoured these slots, with Wales often uncovering themselves successful this presumption much often than different teams.

Impact connected Wales

Since Friday nighttime matches were introduced to the Six Nations successful 2009, Wales person played successful and hosted much of these fixtures than immoderate different team.

The WRU has often defended these matches, emphasising the vulnerability and important gross they make for Welsh rugby.

This fiscal boost is important for the improvement of the sport astatine each levels successful Wales.

However, the WRU has besides acknowledged the challenges these games airs for traveling supporters.

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