Electric Atmosphere (Millennium Stadium (Cardiff))

Member Name: bujin

Product:	Millennium Stadium (Cardiff)
Date:	16/07/03 (710 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Excellent atmosphere, Great views from everywhere

Disadvantages: WRUs £66m debt!!!, Dodgy pitch during winter months

(Ok, I said I wasn't going to do an op today. Can't help it! Too addicted to reviewing!!!)

The Millenium Stadium in Cardiff was built in time for the 1999 Rugby World Cup. It's first game was Wales vs South Africa in June 1999. A great way to open the stadium (which was still heavily under construction) - Wales won their first ever game against South Africa in front of a crowd of roughly 22,000 people, with the first try scored in the stadium by outside centre, Mark Taylor.

As host for the Rugby World Cup in October and November of 1999, the teams had nothing but praise for the new stadium with its intense atmosphere. The World Cup came at the end of Wales best winning streak in many years, with the opening game of Wales v Argentina being the 10th and last game in that run. Unfortunately, Wales then lost to Samoa in the following match!

I personally didn't get to visit the stadium until the following summer, where I watched a Wales XV take on the French Barbarians in what was Derek Bevan's last match as an international referee. With such a low level match, I didn't get the full feel of the stadium, although the atmosphere was still superb at the start. I was sat in the lower tier near to the pitch. Towards the end of the game, where Wales had pulled out a decent lead, the crowd started to get bored and a Mexican Wave started around the ground.

My first real game came in November 2000 with Wales once again taking on the South Africans. It was a capacity crowd, and I almost burst into tears when the Welsh anthem was played! The whole stadium was charged with emotion - I'd never experienced anything like that in my life! Unfortunately Wales lost that game (I won't blame Arwel Thomas...).

So. As you may gather, I quite like the stadium! The only one I have experience of prior to that one was Murrayfield in 1999 (which is another great stadium, BTW!). Unlike some stadiums, the fa
ns are only metres away from the pitch which gives a great "on the field" type of feeling. There are two huge screens at either end of the stadium which help for the fans who are so close to the pitch that they can't see properly what's happening on the other side!!!

The views are great from everywhere in the stadium. I have only ever sat in the lower tiers, but before the Wales v Barbarians game in May 2001 (the last time I went there), I took a walk up to the top tiers to see what the view was like from up there. Needless to say, it offers great views of the pitch.

There is just one downside to the Millenium Stadium. It cost a lot of money to build, and now the Welsh Rugby Union are £66 million in dept. This has led to a number of budget cuts, such as dropping the Wales A rugby team - a great development team with a good winning record.

On the whole, there is very little bad to say about the stadium though. Sure, the pitch had seen better days but it has since been replaced.

Notice how I've gone through this whole review without mentioning the sliding roof? Well, it's got one! Not much else to say, really! Except that it breaks every now and then!!!

For a sport fan, there is certainly no stadium in Britain to match the atmosphere of a Wales home game (in either rugby OR football).

A great stadium and a recommended place to visit!

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