- Participant launch points put pay to anticipated conflict of the nations this autumn
- Wales’ listing of absentees would’ve included Dafydd Jenkins and Tommy Reffell
- Georgia claimed their seventh consecutive Rugby Europe title early final month
Hopes of an autumn fixture between Wales and Georgia have been dashed as a result of participant launch points with the 2 nations now taking a look at a potential assembly in summer time 2025.
The 2 respective unions had been in amicable discussions over a possible November fixture after Georgia laid down a problem to face Warren Gatland’s facet. Lelos president Ioseb Tkemaladze described a potential match between the pair because the ‘recreation everybody needs to see.’
Wales completed backside of the 2024 males’s Six Nations desk with out a win whereas Georgia gained the Rugby Europe title within the tier beneath for the seventh straight yr.
It stays the case there is no such thing as a promotion and relegation between the 2 competitions. A potential Wales and Georgia match would have been seen by many as an unofficial Six Nations play-off.
However on Monday, the fixtures for the autumn window have been confirmed with out such a match within the schedule.
Hopes of an autumn fixture between Wales and Georgia have been dashed as a result of participant launch points
Georgia, who gained their seventh-consecutive Rugby Europe title in Paris final month, may now face Wales in the summertime of 2025
Wales’ Six Nations captain Dafydd Jenkins (proper) was among the many gamers who would have been ineligible to function
Mail Sport understands that the very fact the sport would have needed to have taken place on November 2 and outdoors World Rugby’s designated Check window proved to be an insurmountable stumbling block. That’s as a result of each groups would have been with out a few of their finest gamers who’re based mostly outdoors their homelands underneath the sport’s eligibility rulings.
For Wales, that listing would have included their Six Nations captain Dafydd Jenkins, flanker Tommy Reffell, lock Will Rowlands and others together with Nick Tompkins and Christ Tshiunza.
Georgia, in the meantime, would have been weakened significantly too as key figures Davit Niniashvili, Beka Gorgadze and Vasil Lobzhanidze wouldn’t have been launched for the sport as a result of their home employment with golf equipment in France.
For a lot of supporters the failure to get a match on will probably be disappointing, particularly as Wales will solely play three autumn Exams this yr.
However there’s nonetheless hope they may play within the Georgian capital Tbilisi subsequent summer time.
Regardless of their current struggles, Wales will nonetheless possible present some gamers to the British & Irish Lions tour of Australia in June and July 2025.
However whereas that tour is ongoing, Wales may also have fixtures of their very own. A recreation with Georgia is being checked out for that point alongside potential matches with Japan.
The Welsh Rugby Union has change into used to taking part in 4 matches every autumn and doing so has been a key a part of their business income technique in years passed by.
Their three matches to conclude the yr will probably be in opposition to Fiji, Australia and double world champions South Africa on November 10, 17 and 23 respectively.
‘That is an thrilling Autumn Nations Collection schedule for Wales with fixtures in opposition to three key southern hemisphere opposition in fast succession,’ mentioned WRU govt director of rugby Nigel Walker, who had been speaking to Tkemaladze a couple of Georgia match.
‘We look ahead to welcoming Fiji, Australia and South Africa to Principality Stadium this November as we rejoice the stadium’s twenty fifth anniversary.
‘It will likely be a very becoming milestone once we face the Springboks in our collection finale having performed them within the stadium’s first worldwide fixture again in 1999.’
Wales’ first two autumn matches will each happen on a Sunday.
Warren Gatland’s workforce are set for fixtures in opposition to Fiji, Australia and South Africa this autumn
WRU govt director of rugby Nigel Walker hailed the ‘thrilling Autumn Nations Collection schedule’
The WRU will hope that doesn’t affect ticket gross sales given how vital earnings generated from dwelling matches is to their enterprise mannequin. Fiji haven’t performed within the Welsh capital since 2021.
All of Wales’ Autumn Nations Collection Exams – like every of the 21 matches going down in whole – will probably be screened stay on TNT Sports activities.
Affirmation on home broadcast rights for Wales matches and the involvement of Welsh language channel S4C is ready to be confirmed quickly.
WALES’ 2024 AUTUMN NATIONS SERIES FIXTURES
Sunday 10 November: Wales v Fiji
Principality Stadium
KO 13:40 GMT
Sunday 17 November: Wales v Australia
Principality Stadium
KO 16.10 GMT
Saturday 23 November: Wales v South Africa
Principality Stadium
KO 17:40 GMT
