Six Nations

Millennium Stadium tops Six Nations decibel levels

ESPN Staff

The Millennium Stadium crowd were treated to a spectacular pyrotechnics show ahead of Wales v England © Getty Images Enlarge

The Millennium Stadium officially houses the loudest crowd in the Six Nations.

The Press Association has carried out an investigation into just which of the six grounds tops the decibel levels and the Welsh national stadium's average of 92.0dB was highest, with a reading of 100dB just after Rhys Webb's early try.

Loud and proud

Millennium Stadium (Wales v England) Average: 92.0dB Loudest: 100.0dB (Rhys Webb's try)

Aviva Stadium (Ireland v France) Average: 89.8dB Loudest: 101.0dB (Full-time)

Twickenham (England v Italy) Average: 88.4dB Loudest: 91.1dB (National anthems)

Murrayfield (Scotland v Wales) Average: 88.0dB Loudest: 96.0dB (Stuart Hogg's try)

Stadio Olimpico (Italy v Ireland) Average: 86.1dB Loudest: 92.8dB (Sergio Parisse's disallowed try)

Stade de France (France v Scotland) Average: 85.1dB Loudest: 90.2dB (Camille Lopez's late penalty)

The single highest reading of any match - 101dB - came at the full-time whistle in Ireland's win over France at the Aviva Stadium.

Cardiff led the way in terms of average, followed by Dublin, Twickenham, Murrayfield, Rome and Paris, while the Aviva and the Millennium stadiums were the only venues to break the 100dB mark at their loudest.

Despite the open roof, the average of 92.0dB at the Millennium Stadium was more than two decibels higher than the nearest challenger, which again was Ireland v France.

At the other end of the scale was France's low-key 15-8 home win over Scotland, which limped to 85.1dB and that only after a passionate late rendition of La Marseillaise saw the French crowd hit 90.2dB.

Twickenham finished third in the average readings with 88.4dB - even with England mascot Harry Westlake belting out the national anthem - and behind all but France-Scotland at optimum level with 91.1dB. England's opposition, Italy, and the 47-17 scoreline may have played a part.

But rugby fans have a long way to go to reach the world record of 137.6dB, set by NFL side Seattle Seahawks and their famous "12th man" crowd in 2013.

Turkish football side Galatasaray had held the record since 2011, when the 52,000-strong crowd set 131dB in a match against arch-rivals Fenerbahce. It remains the loudest crowd outside of the US.

Newcastle Falcons hold the record for the loudest crowd in the Aviva Premiership.

The club's "Bring the Noise" campaign saw the Kingston Park crowd set a high of 118.5dB in November.

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