When Cardiff’s streets and The Principality Stadium are full of yellow daffodils and red roses it can only mean one thing: Wales v England in the Six Nations.
This year though, anthems and chants will be sung from the sofa and not from the 74,000 thousand seats in the venue.
Rugby fan Brandon Smith watches the game every year and says, given the circumstances of this year’s game, it will naturally feel very different.
“I think rugby brings people together and that’s the beauty of it,” he said.
“The game brings a community of people together so this year will be difficult for many people.
“The atmosphere you get [in the stadium] is incredible so it must be difficult for the players.”
However, this does not mean the event will go un-noticed.
A big deal
Culturally, the England v Wales Six Nations game is normally the biggest event in the Welsh sporting calendar. People of all ages come together to watch the match both at home and in town.
Gareth Davies plays for the Cardiff Blues in their partially sighted team. He says the England v Wales game matters more than all the others.
“Obviously every game is important but there’s something different about Wales England. I think it’s in our DNA to think ‘as long as we beat the English it doesn’t matter’,” he said.
Allan Bateman is a former British and Irish Lion, so he knows a thing or two about facing England. He says there’s an added pressure when it comes to playing the English.
“It doesn’t matter which team you’re playing against but England always seem to be the one were we’ve got to beat them, so you’re always thinking ‘we need to turn England over’. You’ve got that added pressure of wanting to beat them because they are the team to beat,” he said.
So far fortune has favoured Wales with previous opponents Scotland and Ireland both picking up red cards in their matches. After England lost their first match to the Scots, the pressure is now on Wayne Pivac’s men to take the Triple Crown and chase the Grand Slam.
However, Eddie Jones’ England are tipped to win.
So while the Stadium and the streets of Cardiff will be empty, come 4.45pm on Saturday, the sofas of the nation will be full to bursting.