After a staggering 19 months of lockdowns today Cardiff welcomes its first truly major sporting event occasion with crowds since March 2020, and Cardiff is truly BUZZING.

Today more than 70,000 fans are going to fill the Principality Stadium to see if the All Blacks can be prevented from sealing a 32nd successive victory over Wales.

Beyond the stadium, the bars of the Welsh capital are expected to be full with half and half scarfs already on sale along Queen Street.

Wales kick off their autumn campaign today when they welcome, current world number 2, New Zealand to Cardiff and the circumstances for the two camps could not be more different.

The All Blacks come to our beloved capital city having won their last Rugby Championship game a week ago against USA with 104 points.

As for us, we head into the autumn internationals short of several front-line players – with injuries and player availability taking its toll (thanks England). However we do welcome Gareth Anscombe back to the red jersey!

New Zealand’s 31-match winning streak might seem a little distant today but being Welsh our Pride and hope always shines through.

I have had the pleasure of meeting Dan Carter a few years ago on holiday, who stated that us Welsh fans are the most passionate Rugby loving fans in the world

The coronavirus has not just gone away. Just yesterday First Minister Mark Drakeford said that if cases didn’t come down he would have to extend Covid passes to pubs and restaurants though he said that cases had started to fall in recent days.