Former Wales and Lions star John Devereux has described the atmosphere at the Principality Stadium on the weekend as “dead and dreadful”.
Devereux says you were able to hear a pin drop inside the ground as New Zealand romped to an eight-try 55-23 victory over Wayne Pivac’s Welsh team.
The 21-cap ex-centre believes part of the problem is a lot of spectators these days are not from rugby club backgrounds, while he also points to the amount of time people spend out of their seats going to the bars.
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Speaking on Radio Wales, he said: “When I was a boy, I would go to the stadium with my friends, on a bus from the rugby club. Hundreds and hundreds of buses would converge on Cardiff from all the rugby clubs across Wales.
“It really was a rugby atmosphere, with the singing. Yes, there was drinking prior to the game and everybody would get to the game a little bit sloshed or merry, but not drinking during the game.
“It was all good stuff and good humour and everybody sung their hearts out. But right from the kick-off on Saturday, it was evident the atmosphere was dead, it was dreadful. You could hear a pin drop in the stadium.
“Playing at home against the All Blacks, you need that extra man and the crowd always was that extra man. It just wasn’t there. There were little glimpses of it, we did have a little resurgence, but generally it was flat, there was no singing.
“A lot of people who are now going to games are not from rugby club backgrounds. The access to tickets is easier. It’s turned now where more people are not from rugby club environments.
“Don’t get me wrong, it’s great to see a diverse crowd. I am not knocking people going to watch Wales who don’t go to rugby clubs. I am just saying to get that atmosphere, people have to know and feel and be involved in that atmosphere and those songs from years gone by and it is passed down from their fathers to their sons.”
Were you at the stadium? What did you think of the atmosphere? Have your say in the comments below
On the issue on the amount of alcohol being consumed at the ground, Devereux commented: “Going back to the days of the old Cardiff Arms Park national stadium, a lot of people would turn up having had their beer and then they would watch the game.
“Now it’s unbelievable. I went to the toilet at half time and when you looked at the queues for the bars some people were probably queuing up for half an hour. They probably missed 15-20 minutes of the match.
“It’s constant during the game, it’s back and fore. You are constantly having to get up from your seat to let people past you. It has become the trend and the norm at the stadium now where people just feel they have to drink non-stop during the game.”
The comments come as South Wales Police are appealing for witnesses after an 80-year-old bystander was injured following an alleged altercation that took place between two other men at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff on Saturday. The 80-year-old man was taken to hospital for treatment. His condition is not known, BBC News Wales has reported.
Two men, aged 20 and 32, were arrested for assault and remain in custody, according to South Wales Police.
The Welsh Rugby Union have been working hard to improve the atmosphere at matches/ Saturday's game featured the return of choirs, live Welsh bands, a giant inflatable ball and a roaming brass band in the stands. You can read about all the changes here.
As for the Welsh team’s performance, dual-code star Devereux said: “They tried but they made such a bad start they were playing catch-up from the start. Going 17-0 down against any side is bad, but against the All Blacks it really was a mountain to climb.
“They did show signs and did come back and got close, but again the usual things let them down. Unfortunately defence was one of the main things, one on one tackles, and the set-piece play was poor.
“In the summer, out in South Africa, there were some glimmers of hope. But, on the weekend, it was really just typical of Wales playing that first game of the autumn and really not playing that well. They were slow out of the blocks.”
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Giving his thoughts on why that was the case, he said: “I don’t think the Welsh regions are playing very well and it was the first-up for Wales whereas the All Blacks have had a very busy summer.
“It wasn’t that good an All Blacks side compared to the many that have come over here and done the same thing, beaten us every time. I have been on the end of a few batterings from them and it’s the same old things really - set-piece and they are just far more physical and more athletic than us. Their back row was outstanding, particularly Ardie Savea, and Aaron Smith rolled back the years. Those two tries from him really killed us.”
Asked for his verdict on Wales boss Pivac, Devereux replied: “I am not in camp, I don’t know what his coaching is like.
“All we can see as spectators is what is happening on the park. Wales are sort of in a rebuilding stage and it’s very difficult for a coach to come in and put his stamp on the team after such a successful stint by Warren Gatland.
“We have lost a lot of experienced players, we have had a lot of injuries prior to this match as well. We are so small a nation, we don’t have a big strength in depth. I think that was evident on Saturday.”
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