Cwm Rhondda
Stirring pre-match singing at the Millennium Stadium, Wales 26 – 30 Australia 2013
Make sure you are singing loud and proud in Cardiff tonight. Sir Clive Woodward, former England rugby player and coach, has revealed the secret to Wales’s success may lie in their singing ability.
He blamed the Welsh Anthem and the atmosphere in the stadium for England’s loss to Wales in 2013, when Wales won 30 – 3.
Speaking to BBC Radio 5 on Thursday, Woodward said:
“I’ve never thought a crowd can influence a game, whether we were at Twickenham or away from home… until that night. This blinking Welsh anthem started and I’m looking at the England players and you could see they weren’t comfortable. I’ve never heard anything like that in all my life.”
The atmosphere is a major factor in the decision on whether to play with the roof open or closed.
Speaking back in January, Gatland said: “I’m interested to see whether they keep the roof open or closed because the atmosphere was pretty electric that night (in 2013).”
“So they may decide to leave the roof open to try and dampen down the atmosphere.
“I hope they want to close it and are prepared to accept that challenge, but we’ll wait and see.”
England face Wales again in the Millennium Stadium at 8.05pm with the roof open.
