THE QUESTION OF whether the Millennium Stadium roof is open or closed gets talked about a fair bit in the build-up to Welsh internationals and while the issue probably isn’t a deciding factor in the outcome of a game, the atmosphere is definitely better when it’s shut.
Before Wales played England in round one of the Six Nations a few weeks back, Warren Gatland said he wanted Stuart Lancaster to ‘accept the challenge’ of playing with the roof shut but the English coach declined.
Gatland and his staff have requested that the roof be closed for every game during their time in charge… until now.
Speaking at his press conference earlier, Wales attack coach Rob Howley said that with a promising weather forecast, they want it open.
“We’ve taken the decision early, it needs to be open and we wanted to know sooner rather than later,” Howley said to the BBC.
“The weather forecast is good for the weekend and it’s something which we look forward to. We wanted to know the roof was going to be open, so we’ve taken that decision. Under our coaching regime, I think that is the first time.”
It is hard to know at this juncture exactly what sort of mind game Gatland, Howley and Edwards are playing… but there has to be one, right?
Maybe they want there to be a downpour, limiting the potential for expansive play. Or perhaps they want it to be a blisteringly hot day, so that Rhys Webb can quicken the tempo. Either way, they are definitely up to something.
And although the roof was open when Ireland won the Grand Slam in 2009, Munster and Leinster have both hoisted European trophies in the intense cauldron of the enclosed stadium so open or closed, Irish players have experienced great success in Cardiff.
