The WRU are expecting a bigger crowd than the 57,744 who attended last week. That figure was the lowest for a Six Nations game at the Principality Stadium since it was built in 1999.
This is the consequence of Wales losing 23 out of the previous 25 matches, with 13 successive Six Nations defeats stretching back to March 2023, and the off-the-field turmoil surrounding the game.
Captain Dewi Lake faced the now regular weekly question about the importance of home support.
“It helps massively and you speak about people being a 16th man, especially in this stadium with the roof closed,” said Lake.
“That sound echoes and the anthem was class last week. It’s our job to get fans in the stadium, off their seat and in the game.
“Principality Stadium can erupt and it’s unbelievable when that happens. It’s the heartbeat of the nation when it’s like that and it’s our job to get people rocking and put smiles on faces.
“I suppose all we ask for in return is support and noise, and people feeding us that energy, because we feed off the crowd, their noise and reactions.”
Those stirring words have not been backed up by success in recent times. The ground is no longer a fortress. It has not been for some time.
It is now the venue where other teams come to enjoy themselves with England, Argentina, South Africa and France boasting record victories in Cardiff in the past 11 months.
Wales have not won a Six Nations game in Cardiff since the February 2022 success against Scotland, some 1,470 days ago.
The Scots ended their 22-year drought when they won at the Principality Stadium two years ago in a 27-26 thriller.
