Scotland play host to Wales in their first home game of this Six Nations tournament today and 67,000 spectators – a few of them Scots! – will flock to Murrayfield Stadium for the sell-out match.
The fixture is the first Six Nations home game since Edinburgh Trams passenger services began last year and the operator is putting in place arrangements to cater to the many thousands of fans who are expected to travel to and from the match by tram.
Advice for anyone planning to travel by tram can be found on the Edinburgh Trams website. Passengers are also advised to keep an eye out for updates from Edinburgh Trams’ Control team on the day via @EdinburghTrams.
To ensure pedestrian safety and to minimise traffic disruption, pedestrian diversions will be implemented around the Haymarket Station area following the match.
The City of Edinburgh Council is working closely with Police Scotland to keep road and pedestrian traffic moving smoothly before and after the game.
Councillor Lesley Hinds, Transport Convener, said: “Six Nations home games are always a very exciting fixture in Edinburgh’s events calendar and I know there will be thousands and thousands of people getting ready to make the trip to Murrayfield Stadium on Sunday. I’d encourage everyone to plan their journey carefully and take heed of travel and parking information so that they can have as enjoyable a time as possible. Good luck to Scotland!”
A number of temporary road closures and parking restrictions will be in place.
Police and stewards will be on hand to help direct members of the public from the Stadium to the city centre.
Those heading back into the city centre on foot will be diverted left off the main road up Magdala Crescent to continue back into town.
Pedestrians travelling by rail from Haymarket Station will be guided along the main road towards Haymarket and stewards will be on hand to provide further assistance and advice as they approach the Station.
Although Russell Road is currently closed for Network Rail works, pedestrians will be able to use two dedicated lanes to access and exit the Stadium.
Information about getting to and from Murrayfield Stadium by tram, bus or rail can be found on the Scottish Rugby website.
And the game itself? I’m something of an expert having played for Royal High School’s sixth XV on a number of occasions (yes, okay, twice then and that was over forty years ago, but still …) and I reckon if Scotland can get the basics right we can run the Welsh pretty close today. Cut out the elaborate, ‘fancy Dan’ nonsense, keep it simple and we’re in with a chance.
England exposed some surprising Welsh frailties last weekend and Wales are there to be beaten this afternoon – but Scotland will have to improve and avoid silly mistakes. Unforced errors and conceding daft penalties could prove suicidal, for even when the Welsh are not functioning at concert pitch they can always call on the unerring boot of Leigh Halfpenny. Be brave, Scotland, but beware …
And on another (musical) note – isn’t the Welsh National Anthem the most stirring of them all? Enjoy the game (kick off 3pm)!
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