Leinster First To Visit Ospreys’ New Home

Leinster, under the stewardship of new coaching duo Michael Cheika and David Knox, will be the first of the Celtic League teams to visit the Ospreys’ new Morfa Stadium next season.

Friday’s Celtic League fixtures announcement for the coming 2005/06 season saw the Irish province pencilled in for a September 4 visit to last season’s champions at their new 20,000 home venue, which they will share with Swansea FC.

The following week, the Ospreys will meet Munster at Morfa, with Declan Kidney’s side likely to be at the business end already by that time, thanks to their League opener, the previous week, at home to the Borders.

Ulster, who endured a poor League campaign by their own standards in 2004/05, are idle on the opening weekend, and get their campaign underway away to Cardiff on September 9.

The Blues are also Connacht’s first opponents, at the Sportsground over the first weekend of September.

The League will kick off on the weekend of September 2-4, and continue through to the final weekend of May, 2006.

The League programme will take a break to accommodate the November International test series and the RBS Six Nations Championship in February and March, during which no games will be played.

Commenting on the 2005/06 League competition, Mr. Philip Browne, Chief Executive of the IRFU, said: “The profile of the Celtic league has continually grown since its inception and this years competition again promises to be a another excellent season, offering fans a league programme of top class rugby through to May next year.

“The agreed fixtures have to reflect the requirements of all the Celtic League stakeholders and these needs have shaped the schedule for this year. A certain amount of latitude should be available next season which will hopefully allow us to improve the fixture programme.

Browne added: “From an Irish point of view, the Christmas schedule for the provinces, where all four will play each other during December and early January, will allow us to minimise travel for the teams and supporters and avail of the traditionally bigger attendances over the festive period.”

Celtic League 2005/06 Fixtures