Premiership fixtures 2019-20: Bristol host Bath in season opener
Last updated on .From the section Rugby Union
The 2019-20 Premiership season will start with Bristol hosting West Country rivals Bath on Friday, 18 October.
Champions Saracens will open the defence of their title the following day at home to Northampton.
Last season's runners-up Exeter host Harlequins on Saturday, with promoted London Irish at Wasps on Sunday.
The campaign begins about six weeks later than usual because of the World Cup, which takes place in Japan from 20 September to 2 November.
It will be the second Premiership season in succession to start at Ashton Gate, with Bristol beating Bath in last year's curtain-raiser after their promotion back to the top flight.
Opening Premiership fixtures
- Bristol v Bath (19:45 BST, Friday, 18 October)
- Exeter v Harlequins (15:00 BST, Saturday, 19 October)
- Sale v Gloucester (15:00 BST, Saturday, 19 October)
- Saracens v Northampton (15:00 BST, Saturday, 19 October)
- Worcester v Leicester (15:00 BST, Saturday, 19 October)
- Wasps v London Irish (15:00 BST, Sunday, 20 October)
Key dates
Harlequins have confirmed that their match against Leicester on 28 December will be played at Twickenham, which will also stage the game between Bath and Wasps on 18 April.
Meanwhile, Saracens will take on London rivals Quins at Tottenham Hotspur's new stadium during the round of fixtures scheduled for 27-29 March.
It is part of an agreement announced in March, which will see the English and European champions play an annual showpiece game at the 62,062-capacity ground.
The first of the heavyweight Premiership derbies sees Leicester go to Northampton in the fifth round of fixtures on 30 November.
Worcester head to Kingsholm to face Gloucester in the first Severn derby of the season on 20 December, with Exeter hosting Saracens on 29 December in a repeat of last season's final.
Twickenham will host the Premiership final on Saturday, 20 June - almost three weeks later than in 2018-19.
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Er no, the first heavyweight derby is the first game.
Apart from Quins v Tigers on 28th December. Who proofreads this stuff?
Bias towards Leicester yet again, they are has-been's and need to wake up to the fact or will get relegated and end up in oblivion, West Hartlepool springs to mind?
"So why mention this now? "
Because the fixtures were released today. Any more stupid questions?
"This just goes to show that women's team sport isn't taken seriously and this bias is culturally ingrained."
I'd say that there's more of a bias towards football over any other sport than towards men's sport over women's. That's why there was such a fuss over the women's World Cup.
Bristol is far from lovely.
I wouldn't say that it's "far from lovely" it's less than 15 miles from Bath !!!!
And their stadium, for all their money, is an absolute disgrace.
You are an inherent danger to the healthy competitive nature of the Prem. Will you get any sympathy from most neutrals if it all goes wrong when the money runs out?
Probably very little.
on
2 hours ago
We've all seen Salarycens play. They kick, kick, kick and their fall back plan is to hoof it. Yes, they do score some decent tries, but to even try to claim that they are exciting is a bit of a stretch. At least the Chiefs keep the ball in hand.
Did anyone fact check this? December 27th, Quins vs Leicester...
"Why are Quins yet again playing Sarries at Tottenham stadium. "
Funny I remember watching the match at Stratford last year and I believe that's West Ham's Stadium.
I really don't see what's wrong in questioning the unhealthy imbalance Saracens' success is having on the English club game. If you didn't follow them, you might also question it.
Agree entirely- and the last time I was there had to pay £25 to park
Is this an admission that despite all their recently-bought trophies, Saracens can't attract a big crowd if it's not their neighbours visiting? And that their fanbase is small and that they are just a Parks Club With Money?