Ireland to get first taste of Friday night lights at Millennium in 2017

Six Nations fixtures announced for 2016 and 2017 include Friday game against Wales in Cardiff

Ireland will play their first Friday night Six Nations match away to Wales at the Millennium Stadium on March 3rd, 2017. Photograph: Stu Forster/Getty Images

Ireland will make their Friday night Six Nations debut against Wales in Cardiff in March 2017.

Competition organisers released fixtures for the next two years, with the game at the Millennium Stadium on Friday March 3rd, 2017 standing out. The match will have an 8.05pm kick-off in Cardiff.

Ireland will open their 2016 campaign at home to Wales on Saturday, February 7th before back to back away trips to play France (Saturday, February 13th) and England (Saturday, February 27th).

They will finish off with back-to-back home games against Italy (Saturday , March 12th) and Scotland (Saturday, March 19th).

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The 2017 Six Nations will begin for Ireland at Murrayfield on Saturday, February 4th before a trip to play Italy in Rome on Saturday, February 11th.

France visit Dublin on Saturday, February 25th before the inaugural Friday night game against Wales on March 10th.

Ireland will complete the Six Nations with the final game of the three on Saturday, March 18th when they take on England at the Aviva Stadium, with a 5.0pm kick-off.

2016 Fixtures

Feb 6th France v Italy (Stade de France, 2.25pm) Scotland v England (Murrayfield, 4.50pm)

Feb 7th Ireland v Wales (Aviva Stadium, 3pm)

Feb 13th France v Ireland (Stade de France, 2.25pm) Wales v Scotland (Millennium Stadium, 4.50pm)

Feb 14th Italy v England (Stadio Olimpico, 2pm)

Feb 26th Wales v France (Millennium Stadium, 8.05pm)

Feb 27th Italy v Scotland (Stadio Olimpico, 2.25pm) England v Ireland (Twickenham, 4.50pm)

Mar 12th Ireland v Italy (Aviva Stadium, 130pm) England v Wales (Twickenham, 4pm)

Mar 13th Scotland v France (Murrayfield, 3pm)

Mar 19th Wales v Italy (Millennium Stadium, 2.30pm) Ireland v Scotland (Aviva Stadium, 5pm) France v England (Stade de France, 8pm)

2017 Fixtures

Feb 4th Scotland v Ireland (Murrayfield, 2.25pm) England v France (Twickenham, 4.50pm)

Feb 5th Italy v Wales (Stadio Olimpico, 2pm)

Feb 11th Italy v Ireland (Stadio Olimpico, 2.25pm) Wales v England (MiIllennium Stadium, 4.50pm)

Feb 12th France v Scotland (Stade de France, 3pm)

Feb 25th Scotland v Wales (Murrayfield, 2.25pm) Ireland v France (Aviva Stadium, 4.50pm)

Feb 26th England v Italy (Twickenham, 3pm)

Mar 10th Wales v Ireland (MiIllennium Stadium, 8.05pm)

Mar 11th Italy v France (Stadio Olimpico, 1.30pm) England v Scotland (Twickenham, 4pm)

Mar 18th Scotland v Italy (Murrayfield, 12.30pm) France v Wales (Stade de France, 2.45pm) Ireland v England (Aviva Stadium, 5pm)

Emmet Riordan

Emmet Riordan

Emmet Riordan is an Irish Times sports journalist