England previously "refused" to stage Six Nations games at Twickenham Stadium on a Friday night in either '18 or '19 and the Rugby Football Union said that "it would continue to resist mounting pressure from tournament organisers to do so," according to Alex Lowe of the LONDON TIMES. Six Nations CEO John Feehan "targeted Twickenham as a viable third venue for next season, given that the stadium hosted the opening game" of the 2015 World Cup on a Friday night. But England has "dug in" its heels. The schedules for the '18 and '19 seasons, which are "due to be signed off at this month’s Six Nations board meeting, do not include any Friday night fixtures at Twickenham." RFU CEO Ian Ritchie said, "We are not in discussions with the Six Nations about hosting Friday night matches at Twickenham." But Feehan is "determined to force all nations to accept the possibility of hosting games on Fridays." He said, "The French tend to like [Friday games], the Welsh put up with it and the rest don't want it at the moment -- but that could change in time" (LONDON TIMES, 3/10).
