Ruddock looks for full house

Mike Ruddock has called on Welsh rugby fans to back the boys and give the Millennium Stadium a problem for the fourth and final game in the Lloyds TSB Autumn Series against Japan on Friday night.

With 35,000 tickets already sold for the game against the Cherry Blossoms, and tickets selling at the rate of between 800 and 1,000 per day, Millennium Stadium bosses will son have to make the decision whether or not to open the lower tier for the game.

Already more than 164,000 fans have turned out for the three games to date and Welsh coach Ruddock is hoping for another big gate to round off the series.

"It would be absolutely fantastic if the Millennium Stadium were forced to open the lower tier for the game on Friday night," he said.

"I think they have to get advance sales of more than 40,000 to do that, so lets hope the sales keep going well and we get close to another full house.

"There is little doubt that the backing of the Welsh fans on Saturday had a huge impact on the Welsh players. The atmosphere was white hot, the best ever at the Millennium Stadium.

"The way the fans joined in with the response to the New Zealand Haka showed Gareth Thomas and his players that they weren't alone out there against the All Blacks.

"It made me feel proud to be Welsh when I heard Bread and Heaven ringing around the stadium before kick-off. It built our boys up and put the All Blacks on the back foot.

"Tickets for the game against England won't be easy to come by, so if Mums and Dads want to bring their children to see this Welsh team in action then Friday night against Japan is the perfect opportunity."