SPORTS ROUNDUP: MARCH
Beware the ides of March. Beware, also, the possibility of cartwheeling into your TV screen or being doused in stadium lager in the midst of oval ball fervour. Over to Stuart Fagg…
RUGBY
Where better to start than with the rugby? Wales kicked off their Six Nations campaign in formidable fashion, sweeping the Azzurri aside with an emphatic 42-0 win and marking a successful start to Wayne Pivac’s reign as coach. Subsequently, though, his side were brought back down to earth, losing out to Ireland in Dublin and bringing down the curtain on hopes for a back to back Grand Slam title. Wales and France produced the best game of the tournament so far in the third round of fixtures, losing 23-27 after an enthralling game of attacking rugby. Pivac and his new-look attacking Wales will look to bounce back against England in Twickenham next.
Wales’ women haven’t got off to the best of starts, losing to Italy and Ireland in their two opening fixtures. They’ll be looking to improve upon their 2019 campaign, where they managed two wins and a draw across the five matches.
In March, Wales will go up against Eddie Jones’ England, a fixture which always attracts some kind of drama. Wales will want to get one-up on England, having been bettered by the Roses in the World Cup last year. The fixture takes place in Twickenham on Sat 7 Mar, but as ever, Cardiff will be a packed house with avid rugby fans coming out in their droves to support the boys.
The campaign will come to a close at the Principality Stadium on Sat 14 Mar as we welcome our Scottish friends to the capital for what will likely be a game of attacking flair and tries. We don’t yet know if Wales will be playing for more Six Nations glory, but you’re always guaranteed a fantastic day in the city on the tournament’s finale weekend.
The women’s national team play Scotland at Cardiff Arms Park on Sun 15 Mar, making for an unmissable back-to-back day of rugby in Cardiff.
Arms Park residents the Cardiff Blues, meanwhile, have two Guinness Pro 14 matches at home during March, one against local rivals Ospreys on Sat 28. Josh Adams, Tomos Williams, Jarrod Evans and co are pushing hard for a top-three playoff spot, which will make this month’s round of fixtures particularly exciting. Tickets for their matches, and the Wales-Scotland women’s tie, can be found at www.cardiffblues.com.
FOOTBALL
The season is hotting up for Neil Harris and his Cardiff City side, who after a run of good form in the middle of February, find themselves within touching distance of the playoff positions. March sees the Bluebirds take on struggling Barnsley on Sat 7, before welcoming Leeds for a promotion push clash at the Cardiff City Stadium on Sun 15. They then travel to Preston North End on Wed 18 before Charlton are in town on Sat 21.
With a Premier League place at stake as we come towards the end of the season, every match is important. Will they keep their promotion dreams alive in March? Book tickets at tickets.cardiffcityfc.co.uk.
Finally, the Welsh national team will take on the United States in a pre-Euros friendly on Mon 30 Mar. A population of three million vs a population of 327 million? We’re still backing Cymru to take the win on the day.
ICE HOCKEY
One of the best things about Ice Hockey is the amount of games! March sees the Cardiff Devils play no less than seven times at home, with one mightily important clash against the Sheffield Steelers in the Challenge Cup Final on Sun 8. Despite this one taking place in the Viola Arena, the allocation for Devils and Steelers fans will be the same – so you’ll have to try extra hard to create that unrivalled Devils atmosphere on game day.
March marks the end of the season, with the Devils currently pushing to become champions. Home matches against the Steelers and Belfast Giants will be vitally important in establishing whether the Devils will end up on top for the seventh time.
