24th September 2018

Cardiff Blues will face Uruguay on Tuesday, November 6 (7.05pm) in the inaugural Syft International Challenge at Cardiff Arms Park.

It will be the first time Wales’ Capital Region have faced international opposition since they took on Australia in 2009.

The exciting encounter also takes on added significance given the fact that Los Teros are drawn in the same pool as Wales in the 2019 Rugby World Cup.

Cardiff Blues head coach John Mulvihill said: “Coming over to Wales, I was well aware of the rich history and tradition of international touring teams visiting the Arms Park and it is great to be able to reintroduce that during the regional era.

“We were approached by a couple of international sides and Uruguay is the perfect opportunity for us to put on something different for our supporters and to test the strength and depth of our squad.

“We face Zebre on the Sunday before this match but we will be picking the strongest possible match-day squad that we can.

“Uruguay will be at full strength and preparing for the World Cup, it will be good for us to go up against someone different, with different styles and philosophies, while exposing players to a new level of rugby.

“Hopefully this is something we can continue against Test teams each autumn.”

The encounter, which will be shown live on BBC Two Wales, continues a long history of touring teams visiting the world famous Cardiff Arms Park.

During their illustrious history Cardiff RFC have claimed the scalps of the big three - Australia, New Zealand and South Africa.

But it will be the first time Uruguay have visited the famous ground and they will do so on the back of an impressive run of fixtures, which has seen them win 18 out of 22 games over the last two years.

They qualified for the World Cup after winning the Americas 2 play-off, beating Canada both home and away.

Cardiff Blues chief executive Richard Holland said: “We are all really excited to welcome Uruguay to the Arms Park as their preparations for their World Cup intensify.

“They are a very ambitious, developing rugby nation and you only have to look through their recent fixtures to see the caliber of sides they have beaten.

“Not only is it a great opportunity on the pitch but off it and we are very grateful to both Syft App and BBC Wales for their support.

“We have priced the match very competitively and hope to see a big turnout at Cardiff Arms Park for what is a special, one off occasion.”

During their November campaign Los Teros will also face fellow Guinness PRO14 outfit Ulster. The majority of their squad play in Campeonato Uruguayo, while some, notably their captain Rodrigo Capó Ortega, play in France’s Top 14.

Tickets are priced at £12 for adults and £6 for under-16s or £10 and £5 for Season Memberships, offering unrivalled access to see one of Wales’ World Cup rivals.

And Wales head coach Warren Gatland believes Uruguay will benefit hugely from their autumn encounters.



“It is great that Uruguay have put together a number of Autumn fixtures as they continue their preparations for next year’s Rugby World Cup.



“Time together as a squad is hugely important and I’m sure they will benefit massively from their November camp.



“From a Welsh point of view it is great that Cardiff Blues will host another international side, adding to their history of doing so and that their fans, and the Welsh public get to see Wales’ RWC opponents in action, less than a year out from the tournament.”

Having recently opened its sixth UK office in Cardiff, Syft is the market-leading technology-enabled staffing platform, connecting employers and fully vetted, skilled workers in hospitality, events and industrial.

Launched in late 2015, the venture capital-backed startup has grown to become a multi-award winning solution available in London, Manchester, Liverpool, Leeds, Birmingham and Cardiff.

Breaking from the traditional staffing agency model, Syft offers employers control, choice and low agency fees, plus provides workers with higher pay and perks. Syft is available on iOS, Android and Web.

Tickets to Cardiff Blues vs Uruguay in the Syft International Challenge are available now and can be purchased now by clicking here or calling 029 20 302030.