Cardiff Blues find temporary home venue for Pro14 derbies

Cardiff Blues will play their next two Guinness Pro14 fixtures at the Cardiff City Stadium due to ongoing work on the Arms Park playing surface. Cardiff have been unable to play at the Arms Park this season due to its temporary use as part of the Dragon’s Heart Hospital at the Principality Stadium.

During that time the 3G playing surface was damaged, and work is currently ongoing to complete a new artificial surface.

With their home stadium unavailable the Blues have been playing at Rodney Parade, but Newport County’s progress in the FA Cup, where they have been dealt a home draw, means that Cardiff have had to look elsewhere for a temporary home venue.

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And Cardiff have today announced that they will host fellow Welsh regions the Ospreys (January 1) and Scarlets (Jan 9) at the Cardiff City Stadium, with a view to returning to Arms Park in time for the European Challenge Cup meeting with Newcastle Falcons on January 23.

The Blues previously called the venue home for a three year period between 2009 and 2012.

Cardiff Blues chief executive Richard Holland said: “We are enormously grateful to everyone at the Dragons and Rodney Parade for the warm welcome they have given us during the last three months.

“The Arms Park pitch is now almost complete and providing the weather isn’t entirely a wash out we hope to be back there in mid-January. 

“With Rodney Parade now unavailable due to the FA Cup, we needed an alternative venue, with all the necessary Covid-19 compliance, for a couple of weeks and we are pleased to temporarily head back to the Cardiff City Stadium.

“There is a fantastic surface and it has all the modern facilities required, particularly at this time of such heightened precautions and protocols to ensure fixtures can be safely fulfilled.

“I would like to extend my sincere thanks to everyone at Cardiff City, Cardiff and Vale University Health Board and the PRO14 for working with us.

“While grateful for the hospitality just down the road at the Cardiff City Stadium we are now also very excited to return to our home and must also thank Tony Patterson Sports Grounds, who are completing the works.”