Judgement Day event scrapped in new Welsh rugby twist
Judgement Day event scrapped in new Welsh rugby twist
The Welsh club double-header won't return next season as the URC's fixtures were revealed
Judgement Day will not be held next season
(Image: Huw Evans Picture Agency Ltd )
Welsh rugby bosses have announced there will be no Judgement Day next season, as the United Rugby Championship fixtures were released.
The Professional Rugby Board has decided to put the Principality Stadium event on hiatus, deciding there is no room in next season's calendar for the double-header. This year's event, which saw Cardiff beat the Ospreys before the Scarlets edged past the Dragons, drew in the smallest crowd for the event at the Principality Stadium.
Today's announcement comes days after the WRU announced seismic change is coming to the game, with a move away from four evenly funded times. Indeed, the union are strongly considering cutting down to three sides having decided to walk away from talks over a new Professional Rugby Agreement following the Scarlets' and Ospreys' refusal to sign. You can read the latest on that situation here.
The attendance was 28,328 for this season's Judgement Day, held in April - with the event, which was first introduced in 2013, having previously pulled in crowds of over 60,000 during its peak between 2016 and 2018.
However, having been held at Cardiff City Stadium last year in front of 20,167, the return to the national stadium didn't deliver a massive audience.
Just weeks later, Bristol Bears held a Gallagher Premiership match at the Principality Stadium - bringing in more than 50,000 fans for the clash with Bath.
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The Bears will host another match in Cardiff next season, likely to be against Gloucester, as part of a double-header with their women's team.
'We will rethink the product we are offering and bring back an event to showcase Welsh professional rugby in the future,' said a PRB spokesperson on the decision to not put on Judgement Day next season.
'The concept has huge potential and its early incarnations were a proven success, but we think it is time to re-imagine it.
'Instead, this season will see Welsh rugby concentrate on attracting maximum crowds for the respective derby days and other showcase fixtures at our home venues.'
Prior to this season's event, there had been eight other Judgement Days at the Principality Stadium - as well as the one at the Cardiff City Stadium in 2024. Sign up to Inside Welsh rugby on Substack to get exclusive news stories and insight from behind the scenes in Welsh rugby.
There was also a set of derbies held at Rodney Parade during Covid which were billed as Judgement Day, although they happened on consecutive days and no fans were able to attend.
Despite the reduced crowds this year, those involved had remained keen for the event to continue in the coming seasons.
"It is always a special occasion," said Scarlets captain Josh Macleod recently. "This was the first time in a while we have had three sides battling it out for a top eight place and play-offs.
"It is vital for Welsh rugby to have a spectacle like this with four sides going against each other in back-to-back games.
"We need to get fans through the door. This is one way we can do it."
Ospreys head coach Mark Jones had also spoken about the importance of keeping Judgement Day going.
"The concept is the right one where you have a day where everyone comes together and celebrates Welsh rugby with the talent we have and way we can perform," said Jones after his side's defeat to Cardiff at the Principality Stadium in April.
"We need to work out how we get 60,000 in there like we used to, that's the challenge. The selfish side of me says open it up, make tickets £1, fill the place out and get them in love with rugby.
"But I know electric is not free and you have to pay people to staff it and make money, so I get it. At some point we have to get people back in love with Welsh rugby, get them in the stadiums and cheering on the teams.
"We have got to create heroes out of players. We should definitely try and keep it going and here at the Principality Stadium.
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"Everybody is aligned around the fact it needs to be a big spectacle from a visual point of view also."
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