Record PRO14 Attendances for the Festive Season

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   Fans turned up in record numbers to the Christmas and New Year fixtures in the Guinness PRO14 with Rounds 8, 9 and 10 drawing a bumper attendance for the festive season.

More supporters turned up during the three-round run than ever before as 11 sell-outs from 19 fixtures saw 216,077 fans attend games in Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales. This comes as figures also show that attendances for the Guinness PRO14 are up compared to this point last season.

Cardiff Blues and Ulster Rugby led the way with sell-outs in each of their two home games while Edinburgh set a new attendance record for the 1872 Cup with a crowd of over 27,000 at BT Murrayfield for their game with Glasgow Warriors in Round 9.

The three rounds accounted for a number of player milestones. Scarlets, Wales and Lions full back Leigh Halfpenny broke the 500-point barrier in the Championship while Welsh team-mate and Cardiff Blues winger Josh Adams was among 11 players to make their debut.

The derby fixtures provided a number of tight finishes with Round 8 producing the closest set of results for five seasons. The intensity produced in Round 8 was also reflected in the number of yellow cards handed out – 15 in total, which set a new record for a match round.

With 109 tries scored across all three rounds, fans got entertainment and nail-biting drama in equal measure.

FESTIVE FIXTURES BY THE NUMBERS

Round 8

Three sell-outs: Zebre v Benetton (4,000); Connacht v Munster (8,129); Glasgow Warriors v Edinburgh (7,351)
Average winning margin was just 5 points (closest set of results in 5 years)
Five losing bonus points earned on a single match day (December 21) for the first time ever
15 yellow cards awarded, most ever shown in a round

Tries scored: 26

Debuts (9): Josh Adams (Cardiff Blues), Tommy O’Brien, Roman Salanoa (Leinster), Marty McKenzie (Ospreys), Tevita Ratuva (Scarlets), Ethan McIlroy, Azur Allison, Jack Regan, Stewart Moore (Ulster)

Milestones
Andrew Warwick (Ulster) played his 100th game in the Championship

Round 9

Five sell-outs: Cardiff Blues v Dragons (12,125); Scarlets v Ospreys (13,682); Ulster v Connacht (17,461); Munster v Leinster (26,267); Benetton v Zebre (5,000)

Edinburgh v Glasgow Warriors set a new attendance record for the 1872 Cup with 27,437 at BT Murrayfield

Tries scored: 32

Debuts: Niall Murray (Connacht)

Milestones
Leigh Halfpenny broke the 500-point mark for the Championship
John Cooney (Ulster), Aled Davies (Ospreys) and Scott Williams (Ospreys) all played their 100th Championship game

Round 10

Three sell-outs: Leinster v Connacht (18,300); Cardiff Blues v Scarlets (12,125), Ulster v Munster (17,461)

Tries scored: 51

Debuts: Tom Griffiths (Dragons)

Attendances for Rounds 8, 9, 10 – 2019/20 (sell-outs in bold)

Round 8

Leinster v Ulster (RDS Arena) – 16,375
Zebre v Benetton (Stadio Lanfranchi) – 4,000
Connacht v Munster (Sportsground) – 8,129
Dragons v Scarlets (Rodney Parade) – 5,517
Glasgow Warriors v Edinburgh (Scotstoun Stadium) – 7,351
Ospreys v Cardiff Blues (Liberty Stadium) – 6,664

Round 9

Cardiff Blues v Dragons (Cardiff Arms Park) – 12,125
Scarlets v Ospreys (Parc y Scarlets) – 13,682        
Ulster v Connacht (Kingspan Stadium) – 17,461
Edinburgh v Glasgow Warriors (BT Murrayfield) – 27,437
Munster v Leinster (Thomond Park) – 26,267
Benetton v Zebre (Stadio Monigo) – 5,000

Round 10

Ulster v Munster (Kingspan Stadium) – 17,461
Cardiff Blues v Scarlets (Cardiff Arms Park) – 12,125
Zebre v Toyota Cheetahs (Stadio Lanfranchi) – 2,200
Dragons v Ospreys (Rodney Parade) – 6,421
Benetton v Glasgow Warriors (Stadio Monigo) – 4,667
Leinster v Connacht (RDS Arena) – 18,300
Edinburgh v Isuzu Southern Kings (BT Murrayfield) – 4,873

Festive Attendances by season since Italians joined in 2010:

2019/20: 216,077
2018/19: 196,992
2017/18: 209,489
2016/17: 188,858
2015/16: 173,996
2014/15: 194,793
2013/14: 165,221
2012/13: 172,743
2011/12: 180,546
2010/11: 172,660

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Transvaal Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Admin Group Joined: 30-Mar-2016 Status: Offline Points: 39087	Post Options Post Reply Quote Transvaal Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Topic: Record PRO14 Attendances for the Festive Season Posted: 07-Jan-2020 at 5:40am
	Fans turned up in record numbers to the Christmas and New Year fixtures in the Guinness PRO14 with Rounds 8, 9 and 10 drawing a bumper attendance for the festive season. More supporters turned up during the three-round run than ever before as 11 sell-outs from 19 fixtures saw 216,077 fans attend games in Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales. This comes as figures also show that attendances for the Guinness PRO14 are up compared to this point last season. Cardiff Blues and Ulster Rugby led the way with sell-outs in each of their two home games while Edinburgh set a new attendance record for the 1872 Cup with a crowd of over 27,000 at BT Murrayfield for their game with Glasgow Warriors in Round 9. The three rounds accounted for a number of player milestones. Scarlets, Wales and Lions full back Leigh Halfpenny broke the 500-point barrier in the Championship while Welsh team-mate and Cardiff Blues winger Josh Adams was among 11 players to make their debut. The derby fixtures provided a number of tight finishes with Round 8 producing the closest set of results for five seasons. The intensity produced in Round 8 was also reflected in the number of yellow cards handed out – 15 in total, which set a new record for a match round. With 109 tries scored across all three rounds, fans got entertainment and nail-biting drama in equal measure. FESTIVE FIXTURES BY THE NUMBERS Round 8 Three sell-outs: Zebre v Benetton (4,000); Connacht v Munster (8,129); Glasgow Warriors v Edinburgh (7,351) Average winning margin was just 5 points (closest set of results in 5 years) Five losing bonus points earned on a single match day (December 21) for the first time ever 15 yellow cards awarded, most ever shown in a round Tries scored: 26 Debuts (9): Josh Adams (Cardiff Blues), Tommy O’Brien, Roman Salanoa (Leinster), Marty McKenzie (Ospreys), Tevita Ratuva (Scarlets), Ethan McIlroy, Azur Allison, Jack Regan, Stewart Moore (Ulster) Milestones Andrew Warwick (Ulster) played his 100th game in the Championship Round 9 Five sell-outs: Cardiff Blues v Dragons (12,125); Scarlets v Ospreys (13,682); Ulster v Connacht (17,461); Munster v Leinster (26,267); Benetton v Zebre (5,000) Edinburgh v Glasgow Warriors set a new attendance record for the 1872 Cup with 27,437 at BT Murrayfield Tries scored: 32 Debuts: Niall Murray (Connacht) Milestones Leigh Halfpenny broke the 500-point mark for the Championship John Cooney (Ulster), Aled Davies (Ospreys) and Scott Williams (Ospreys) all played their 100th Championship game Round 10 Three sell-outs: Leinster v Connacht (18,300); Cardiff Blues v Scarlets (12,125), Ulster v Munster (17,461) Tries scored: 51 Debuts: Tom Griffiths (Dragons) Attendances for Rounds 8, 9, 10 – 2019/20 (sell-outs in bold) Round 8 Leinster v Ulster (RDS Arena) – 16,375 Zebre v Benetton (Stadio Lanfranchi) – 4,000 Connacht v Munster (Sportsground) – 8,129 Dragons v Scarlets (Rodney Parade) – 5,517 Glasgow Warriors v Edinburgh (Scotstoun Stadium) – 7,351 Ospreys v Cardiff Blues (Liberty Stadium) – 6,664 Round 9 Cardiff Blues v Dragons (Cardiff Arms Park) – 12,125 Scarlets v Ospreys (Parc y Scarlets) – 13,682 Ulster v Connacht (Kingspan Stadium) – 17,461 Edinburgh v Glasgow Warriors (BT Murrayfield) – 27,437 Munster v Leinster (Thomond Park) – 26,267 Benetton v Zebre (Stadio Monigo) – 5,000 Round 10 Ulster v Munster (Kingspan Stadium) – 17,461 Cardiff Blues v Scarlets (Cardiff Arms Park) – 12,125 Zebre v Toyota Cheetahs (Stadio Lanfranchi) – 2,200 Dragons v Ospreys (Rodney Parade) – 6,421 Benetton v Glasgow Warriors (Stadio Monigo) – 4,667 Leinster v Connacht (RDS Arena) – 18,300 Edinburgh v Isuzu Southern Kings (BT Murrayfield) – 4,873 Festive Attendances by season since Italians joined in 2010: 2019/20: 216,077 2018/19: 196,992 2017/18: 209,489 2016/17: 188,858 2015/16: 173,996 2014/15: 194,793 2013/14: 165,221 2012/13: 172,743 2011/12: 180,546 2010/11: 172,660