Wales are coming home this week – but it will all be different in Cardiff for the Six Nations.
First, the roof will remain open for their Ireland and England matches. And second, this time Wales’ most hallowed turf had to be grown on a farm in Scunthorpe.
Since the Principality Stadium was de-commissioned as Dragon’s Heart Hospital, treating 34 people for Covid as one of the emergency Nightingale facilities during 2020’s first wave, in December it has taken 250,000 hours of labour to turn it back into the home of Welsh rugby again.
Cardiff’s Principality Stadium was transformed into a Covid hospital for much of last year
With 600 workers on site dismantling a tent eight times the size of Glastonbury’s Pyramid stage it has been an almighty task to restore the stadium to its former glories.
Of course, without fans, it will make for an eerie setting for Wales’ Six Nations games.
And the team will have to play out in the open too.
‘The roof will remain open unless there’s an operational or safety need for us to close it,’ Alex Luff, the stadium operations manager explained talking exclusively to Sportsmail.
The home of Welsh rugby (pictured in 2019) will have the roof open for its Six Nations games
‘It will be open for the Ireland match on Saturday. The weather forecast is positive which is good.
‘It’s a change for this year only due to the unique circumstances surrounding the pitch and the work we’ve put in place to get the stadium ready.
‘Both the IRFU and RFU are happy with that. It’s just for this year. In 2022 we go back to the way it’s always been, with coaches agreeing to open or close it.’
They can close it, if a serious storm is predicted.
‘Weather is one of the factors that we will be closely monitoring in the run up to the game, but it will need to a significant and sustained downpour for us to consider closing the roof as we are confident in the draining capabilities of the new pitch system,’ added Luff.
‘Looking at the current forecast, we are expecting no rain this weekend and are planning for the roof to remain open.’
Wales won the Six Nations in 2019 and completed the Grand Slam for the first time since 2012
So that is one of many changes to the usual form. Next is the pitch – and it will surprise many to know where Wales’ green grass of home has come from.
‘Because of the when the stadium was handed back we didn’t have the time to grow a new pitch from seed – it was the heart of winter, so the way we got around it was working with a company called County Turf using a ‘roll and play’ system.
‘It’s a hybrid turf re-enforced with artificial carpet – a similar system to Croke Park and Gloucester – grown on a farm in Scunthorpe.
‘The grass is then sewn and grown into a carpet in situ, harvested and then brought down in refrigerated trucks, laid out on the pitch.
‘It’s been in for two weeks and is ready to play. The players won’t notice any difference.’
The stadium has been a hive of activity for months, with a team of three fastening 10,000 seats back into the lower tier for the past nine weeks, others setting up Covid-safe zones, and more in charge of firing up sound tracks, light-shows and big screens.
‘It’s like a time-warp coming back here,’ said Luff who helped set up Parc y Scarlets for Wales’ use in the autumn when the Principality Stadium was out of bounds.
‘There’s a buzz about the place – people are excited that rugby is back and the team are coming home. It’s such a positive thing in all the negativity.’
For those lucky enough to attend the game there will be the usual pomp and ceremony of the build-up, with fires blazing and the same pre-recorded choral anthem used in the autumn.
On television fake fan noise will augment the coverage, and the Welsh are picking opportune moments to play chants and songs in the ground too, having consulted the players.
‘We will be playing some crowd noises in during the game,’ confirmed Luff who spoke to team manager Martyn Williams and the senior men in Wayne Pivac’s side.
‘The team felt that helped removed the periods of silence.
‘We’ve taken sound-bites from previous internationals and so have a suite of different sounds to play at the right time for the home and away team. It’s to create a sense of atmosphere. The sounds will come from a previous Ireland and England game at the Principality Stadium.
‘Hopefully it gives the boys a lift during periods of attack or at a big scrum. We’ll react to what happens in front of us.’
So when England turn up will a track from the epic 30-3 victory in 2013 be used?
We’ve gone back in the annals of time so there are nice bits you’ll hear on February 27!’ smiled Luff.
While unable to host fans, the Welsh Rugby Union are working with the South Wales Police to make sure supporters do not linger around the ground before, during or after matches, knowing there are bound to be some who want to wander along Westgate Street like old times.
‘Unless it’s an essential journey people can’t travel so that will dissuade fans from making the journey into the city centre,’ said Luff.
‘On social media we will put out things asking fans to stay at home, support from home and we’ll welcome them back when we can.’
Luff and the WRU hope that will be in November, for the autumn internationals.
‘We’ve transformed the stadium many times, from concerts to boxing, but what we saw with Dragon’s Heart hospital is one of the biggest projects we’ve ever undertaken,’ concluded Luff, proud of the role his ground played to help the country through Covid but also delighted that it can used for more frivolous pursuits for the first time in 11 months.
‘It’s huge for the team and Wales as a nation to have us back home.’