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Guinness PRO14 fixtures released for the 2019/20 season
South Africa will raise the curtain on the new Guinness PRO14 campaign when the Cheetahs host 2015 champions Glasgow Warriors in Bloemfontein on September 27.
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All five unions within the PRO14 will host a game in round one with Ulster facing Ospreys in Belfast also on opening night.
Munster v Dragons, Kings v Cardiff, Benetton v Leinster, Scarlets v Connacht and Edinburgh v Zebre complete the slate of opening-round fixtures on Saturday.
For the first time ever, fans can plan their weekends right up until round 20 with all kick-off times and dates laid out right to the penultimate weekend of the regular season.
The Cheetahs-Glasgow fixture kicks off a mammoth 152 games schedule that will culminate in a run-in where rivals will set their sights on lifting the PRO14 trophy won by Leinster last May.
Presenting to you the #GuinnessPRO14 Season Fixtures for 2019/20https://t.co/OtmxXW5sW2 pic.twitter.com/suvaZH4Ak9
— PRO14 RUGBY (@PRO14Official) July 17, 2019
The derby games that sit at the heart of PRO14’s rivalries are spread across eight rounds. This season, the calendar has allowed for the Welsh derby games to return to their traditional Boxing Day slot with Cardiff facing Dragons and Scarlets hosting Ospreys.
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Kick-off times for round 21 will be set in early 2020 with a full round of derby matches providing added intrigue to the final day of the regular season.
The first five rounds of the campaign will take place during the World Cup to help avoid a clash with the Guinness Six Nations which has led to only one weekend in a direct overlap with Test matches throughout the season (round 12).
Confirmed! ?
The 2019/20 #GuinnessPRO14 schedule has been announced: https://t.co/AO3ZKcsvuy
The title defence starts now. ??#LeinsterRugby #JoinTheRoar pic.twitter.com/fiUHf9pr2P
— Leinster Rugby (@leinsterrugby) July 17, 2019
The number of traditional 15:00 kick-off times in the UK and Ireland has increased by 75 per cent from the 2018/19 season and sees 30 games scheduled for that time slot in the new campaign.
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The location, date and kick-off time of the 2020 Guinness PRO14 final will also be confirmed in the near future.
Tournament director David Jordan said: “After two years the Cheetahs and Southern Kings have begun to establish themselves in the Guinness PRO14 and with each side starting with three home games there is a real opportunity for both of them to become a greater threat.
They’ve landed! Here are our Guinness @PRO14Official 2019/20 fixtures. We host our first home game on Saturday 12th October against @BenettonRugby and will close out the regular season against old rivals @scarlets_rugby at the Liberty Stadium at the end of May. pic.twitter.com/CYgl0AFJFi
— Ospreys (@ospreys) July 17, 2019
“We’re also pleased to have increased the number of 3pm kick-off times on Saturdays which works well for fans with families and for the broadcast audience.
“It’s also going to be one of the toughest schedules we have put together and thanks to the new global season we have a run-in that barely pauses for breath over the final nine weeks of the regular season.”
WATCH: RugbyPass goes behind the scenes at the 2018 Guinness PRO14 final between Leinster and Scarlets in Dublin
Comments on RugbyPass
“But with an exceptional pass accuracy rating “ Which apart from Roigard is not a feature of any of the other 9s in NZ. Kind of basic for a Black 9 dont.you. think? Yet we keep seeing FC and TJ being rated ahead of him? Weird if it’s seen as vital to get our backline beating in your face defences.
1 Go to commentsThanks BeeMc! Looks like many teams need extra time to settle from the quadrennial northern migration. I think generally the quality of the Rugby has held up. Fiji has been fantastic and fun to watch
13 Go to commentsLets compare apples with apples. Lyon sent weak team the week before, but nobody raised an eyebrow. Give the South African teams a few years to build their depth, then you will be moaning that the teams are too strong.
41 Go to commentsDid footballs agents also perform the scout role at some time? I’m surprised more high profile players haven’t taken up the occupation, great way to remain in the game and use all that experience without really requiring a lot of specific expertise?
1 Go to commentsSuper rugby is struggling but that has little to do with sabbaticals. 1. Too many teams from Aust and NZ - should be 3 and 4 respectively, add in 2 from Japan, 1 possibly 2 from Argentina. 2. Inconsistent and poor refereeing, admittedly not restricted to Super rugby. Only one team was reffed at the breakdown in Reds v H’Landers match. Scrum penalty awarded in Canes v Drua when No 8 had the ball in the open with little defence nearby - ideal opportunity to play advantage. Coming back to Reds match - same scrum situation but ref played advantage - Landers made 10 yards and were penalised at the breakdown when the ref should have returned to scrum penalty. 3. Marketing is weak and losing ground to AFL and NRL. Playing 2 days compared with 4. 4. Scheduling is unattractive to family attendance. Have any franchises heard of Sundays 2pm?
11 Go to commentsAbsolutely..all they need is a chance in yhe playoffs and I bet all the other teams will be nervous…THEY KNOW HOW TO WIN IM THE PLAYOFFS..
2 Go to commentsI really hope he comes back and helps out with some coaching.
1 Go to commentsI think we are all just hoping that the Olympic 7s doesn’t suffer the same sad fate as the last RWC with the officials ruining the spectacle.
1 Go to commentsPersonally, I’ve lost the will to even be bothered about the RFU, the structure, the participants. It’s all a sham. I now simply enjoy getting a group of friends together to go and watch a few games a year in different locations (including Europe, the championship, etc). I feel extremely sorry for the real fans of these clubs who are constantly ignored by the RFU and other administrators. I feel especially sorry for the fans of clubs in the Championship who have had considerable central funding stripped away and are then expected to just take whatever the RFU put to them. Its all a sham, especially if the failed clubs are allowed to return.
10 Go to commentsI’m guessing Carl Hayman would have preferred to have stayed in NZ with benefit of hindsight. Up north there is the expectation to play twice as many games with far less ‘player management’ protocols that Paul is now criticising. Less playing through concussions means longer, healthier, careers. Carter used as the eg here by Paul, his sabbatical allowed him to play until age 37. OK its not an exact science but there is far more expectations on players who sign for Top 14 or Engl Prem clubs to get value for the huge salaries. NZR get alot wrong but keeping their best players in NZ rugby is not one of them. SA clubs are virtually devoid of their top players now, no thanks. They cant threaten the big teams in the Champions Cup, the squads have little depth. Cant see Canes/Chiefs struggling. Super has been great this year, fantastic high skill matches. Drua a fantastic addition and Jaguares will add another quality team eventually. Aus teams performing strongly and no doubt will benefit with the incentive of a Lions tour and a home RWC. Let Jordie enjoy his time with Leinster, it will allow the opportunity for another player to emerge at Canes in his absence.
11 Go to commentsLove that man, his way to despise angry little men is so funny ! 😂
4 Go to comments“South African franchises would be powerhouses if we had all our overseas based players back in situ. We would have the same unbeatable aura the Toulouses, Leinsters or Saracens of this world have had over the last decade or so.” Proof that Jake white does not understand the economics of the game in SA. Players earning abroad are not going to simply come back and represent the bulls. But they might if they have a springbok contract.
24 Go to commentsA lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
4 Go to commentsThe RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
10 Go to commentsWell that’s the contracts for RG and Jordie bought and paid for. Now, what are the chances we can persuade Antoine to hop over with all the extra dosh we’ll have from living at the Aviva & Croke next season…??? 🤑🤑🤑
35 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
35 Go to commentsYou probably read that parling is going to coach the wallaby lineout but if not before now you have.
17 Go to commentsIf someone like Leo Cullen was in O’Gara’s place I don’t hear Boo-ing. It’s not just that La Rochelle has hurt Leinster and O’Gara is their Irish boss. It’s the needle that he brings and the pantomime activity before the game around pretending that Munster were supporting LaRochelle just because O’Gara is from Cork. That’s dividing Irish provinces just to get an advantage for his French Team. He can F*ck right off with that. BOOOOO! (but not while someone is lying injured)
4 Go to commentsDid the highlanders party too hard before the game? They were the pits.
1 Go to commentsWhat a player! Not long until he’s in the England side, surely?
5 Go to comments