The Six Nations: Why go?
The Six Nations Rugby Championship is edging ever closer. The 134-year-old tournament is steeped in history and if you are fortunate enough to have watched a game, it’s a memory that lasts with you forever.
Traveling around Europe watching rugby is far different to watching football. With football, violence and petty hooliganism occur but rugby is a noble sport; whilst fans are overwhelmingly passionate it is based on patriotism and not prejudice. You will rarely ever encounter violence at a rugby match. People go there to have a good time, chant and soak up the wicked atmosphere. They also go for a range of betting opportunities, some of which you can read about in the Titan Bet betting glossary. In rugby the sport is undoubtedly brutal, but the rugby experience is pure enjoyment. Rugby aside, all venues are capital cities and are awash with excursions that you can wrap your rugby experience around. In the expert opinion of many, Cardiff and Dublin offer the best overall rugby experience.
The Six Nations gets underway in Cardiff, as defending champions Wales take on Italy. The Welsh are favourites with Titan Bet to reign supreme this year. If they do they will be the first country ever to win the Six Nations for three consecutive years. If you want to experience the true passion of rugby then a visit to Cardiff is a must. There aren’t many countries that can match the sheer passion that the Welsh show towards their national rugby side.
The iconic Millennium Stadium is not only the home of rugby; it’s also an architectural master class. The 74,500 capacity ground has a fully retractable roof, one of two stadiums in Europe with this feature, and the amalgamated steel evokes memories of Wales’ industrial background.
The atmosphere inside the Millennium Stadium is boisterous but outside it is far more tranquil, as the stadium is located on the banks of the River Taff. While rugby takes precedent, the stadium is also noted for its good-natured drinking environment. The stadium’s bars or “joy machines” can pour 12 pints in 20 seconds, and during a clash with France recently 63,000 fans consumed 77, 184 pints. In comparison just 44,000 pints were drunk at Twickenham with a similar sized crowd.
People need little excuse for an excursion to Dublin. The Ireland capital is one of the party capitals of Europe and people flock there in their droves to celebrate St. Patricks Day. Although not quite St. Patricks day, when the rugby rolls into town there is an electric atmosphere and the streets are a flow of Emerald. Although Titan Bet have made Ireland outsiders for the Championship, anything can happen in rugby, as witnessed when Ireland unexpectedly won the Grand Slam in 2009. Their home, the Aviva Stadium may not be the largest of grounds (it accommodates 51,700 spectators), but the design and beauty of the stadium is breathtaking. Situated next to the River Dodder, the Aviva Stadium goes out of its way to defy gravity. With steel bended in this way and that, the stadium’s roof rises and dips, and then rises again. Again, Dublin offers a fantastic night out, so after one is finished with the rugby, they can experience the just as legendary nightlife.