GUINNESS PRO14 Fixtures Announced For 2018/19 Season

The Welsh capital will play host to a clash of reigning European champions as Cardiff Blues, the Challenge Cup winners,  welcome GUINNESS PRO14 and Champions Cup holders Leinster to Cardiff Arms Park as Premier Sports and eir Sport screen Championship action live for the very first time on their channels (Premier Sports 2/eir Sport 1/TG4).

The second game on Friday, August 31 will see the Ospreys open the campaign with a visit of Richard Cockerill’s Edinburgh, who reached the PRO14 final series for the very first time just two months ago.

Round 1 sees a full set of terrific match-ups with two clashes of former champions when Connacht host Glasgow Warriors (live on TG4/eir Sport 1/Premier Sport 1), while the Scarlets, 2017 winners and last season’s beaten finalists, travel to Kingspan Stadium to face Ulster, the 2006 Celtic League champions (live on Premier Sports/S4C/eir Sport 2).

Munster will take on the Toyota Cheetahs (live on eir Sport 1/Premier Sports 2/Super Sport), while the Cheetahs’ South African compatriots, the Southern Kings, start their season in Parma where they tackle Italian outfit Zebre (live on Free Sports/SuperSport/eir Sport 1).

Finally, Dragons fans will have high hopes to see what the region can achieve in season two of Bernard Jackman’s tenure as they face a challenging opener against Benetton Rugby (live on Premier Sports 1/eir Sport 2). The Italians are aiming to build on last season’s record number of wins to make a real push for the PRO14 final series. 

For the first time ever the Championship has also been able to announce kick-off times and dates for the first 17 rounds of the GUINNESS PRO14 which is a big win for the clubs, provinces and regions and their supporters.

This year’s opening round marks a brand new era for the Championship where every single game will be broadcast live across the UK by Premier Sports and Free Sports – a true first for the PRO14. In Ireland, eir Sport will bring coverage of the Championship to new levels, while Super Sport will continue to give South African fans a real taste of the PRO14 every weekend.

Additionally, PRO14 Rugby is proud that games will still be broadcast live on native language channels TG4 (Republic of Ireland) and S4C (Wales) to ensure free-to-air access among two stations that have supported the Championship from the outset. The broadcast partner for Italy will be announced in due course.

With 14 teams from five countries competing in the PRO14 across two Hemispheres, the process to formulate the fixture list comes with an extensive list of criteria to fulfill in terms of player welfare, respect to traditional match-days of various teams and the needs of broadcasters.

Tournament Director David Jordan said: “For the first time ever we have produced fixtures with kick-off times and dates right up to round 17 which we have never been able to do before. When you consider the planning required around incoming and outbound South African tours, it’s fantastic to have so much of the season mapped out ahead of us at this point.

“Rarely has there been so much anticipation and excitement ahead of a new season now that we every game live across the UK on Premier Sports fully supported by eir Sport and TG4 in Ireland, Super Sport in South Africa and S4C in Wales. Our new broadcast arrangements will drive up the broadcast standards and supporters should rightly get excited by what is to come.

“I would like to thank all of our broadcast partners for their input into the process and the patience and flexibility of our teams throughout. Naturally, the logistics involved in scheduling an international club rugby tournament present many challenges but our teams and broadcasters recognise that the GUINNESS PRO14 is incredibly unique which is why they are so proud to be a part of the Championship.

“We are confident that we have respected the wide-ranging criteria required to produce the fixture list, whether that is accommodating traditional Friday or Saturday match-days for various sides or working around teams who share venues with football teams.

“Naturally, there is an abundance of international travel involved, too, and that is all part of the appeal of the PRO14 and now with the South African teams involved our teams have embraced the opportunity to go on tour – a cherished aspect of the game that has faded away in recent times. I wish all of our teams the very best of luck this season as we look forward to another terrific campaign of PRO14 action.”

The full list of confirmed GUINNESS PRO14 fixtures for 2018/19 is available here.

2018/19 GUINNESS PRO14 FIXTURES:

– All kick-off times are local time

ROUND 1 –

Friday, August 31

Cardiff Blues v LEINSTER, Cardiff Arms Park, 7.35pm (live Premier Sports/eir Sport 1)

Ospreys v Edinburgh, Liberty Stadium, 7.35pm (live Premier Sports/eir Sport 2)

Saturday, September 1

CONNACHT v Glasgow Warriors, the Sportsground, 3pm (live TG4/eir Sport 1/Premier Sports)

ULSTER v Scarlets, Kingspan Stadium, 5.15pm (live Premier Sports/S4C/eir Sport 2)

MUNSTER v Toyota Cheetahs, venue tbc, 5.15pm (live eir Sport 2/Premier Sports/Super Sport)

Dragons v Benetton Rugby, Rodney Parade, 7.35pm (live Premier Sports/eir Sport 2)

Zebre v Southern Kings, Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi, 8.35pm (live Premier Sports/Super Sport/eir Sport 1)

* Broadcast channels from Round 2 will be confirmed in due course

ROUND 2 –

Friday, September 7

Glasgow Warriors v MUNSTER, Scotstoun Stadium, 7.35pm (live Premier Sports/eir Sport)

ULSTER v Edinburgh, Kingspan Stadium, 7.35pm (live Premier Sports/eir Sport)

Saturday, September 8

Dragons v Southern Kings, Rodney Parade, 3pm (live Premier Sports/Super Sport/eir Sport)

CONNACHT v Zebre, the Sportsground, 5.15pm (live TG4/Premier Sports)

Ospreys v Toyota Cheetahs, Liberty Stadium, 5.30pm (live S4C/Premier Sports/Super Sport/eir Sport)

Scarlets v LEINSTER, Parc y Scarlets, 7.35pm (live Premier Sports/eir Sport/TG4)

Benetton Rugby v Cardiff Blues, Stadio di Monigo, 8.35pm (live Free Sports)

ROUND 3 –

Friday, September 14

Edinburgh v CONNACHT, BT Murrayfield, 7.35pm (live Premier Sports/eir Sport)

MUNSTER v Ospreys, Irish Independent Park, 7.35pm (live eir Sport/Premier Sports/TG4)

Saturday, September 15

Scarlets v Benetton Rugby, Parc y Scarlets, 5.15pm (live S4C/Premier Sports/eir Sport)

LEINSTER v Dragons, the RDS, 5.15pm (live eir Sport/Premier Sports/TG4)

Toyota Cheetahs v Glasgow Warriors, Toyota Stadium, 7.30pm (live Super Sport/Free Sports/eir Sport)

Zebre v Cardiff Blues, Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi, 8.35pm (live Premier Sports/eir Sport)

Sunday, September 16

Southern Kings v ULSTER, Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, 2.15pm (live Super Sport/Premier Sports/eir Sport)

ROUND 4 –

Friday, September 21

Toyota Cheetahs v ULSTER, Toyota Stadium, 7.15pm (live Super Sport/Premier Sports)

Cardiff Blues v MUNSTER, Cardiff Arms Park, 7.35pm (live Premier Sports/eir Sport/TG4)

Saturday, September 22

Southern Kings v Glasgow Warriors, Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, 3pm (live Super Sport/Premier Sports/Free Sports/eir Sport)

CONNACHT v Scarlets, the Sportsground, 5.15pm (live TG4/Premier Sports)

Dragons v Zebre, Rodney Parade, 5.15pm (live S4C/Premier Sports/eir Sport)

LEINSTER v Edinburgh, the RDS, 7.35pm (live eir Sport/Premier Sports)

Ospreys v Benetton Rugby, Liberty Stadium, 7.35pm (live Premier Sports/eir Sport)

ROUND 5 –

Friday, September 28

Cardiff Blues v Toyota Cheetahs, Cardiff Arms Park, 7.35pm (live Super Sport/Premier Sports/eir Sport)

Edinburgh v Benetton Rugby, BT Murrayfield, 7.35pm (live Premier Sports/eir Sport)

Saturday, September 29

Zebre v Ospreys, Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi, 4pm (live Premier Sports/eir Sport)

CONNACHT v LEINSTER, the Sportsground, 5.15pm (live TG4/eir Sport/Premier Sports)

Scarlets v Southern Kings, Parc y Scarlets, 6.30pm (live S4C/Super Sport/Premier Sport/eir Sport)

Glasgow Warriors v Dragons, Scotstoun Stadium, 7.35pm (live Free Sports)

MUNSTER v ULSTER, Thomond Park, 7.35pm (live eir Sport/Premier Sports)

ROUND 6 –

Friday, October 5

Edinburgh v Toyota Cheetahs, BT Murrayfield, 7.35pm (live Free Sports/Super Sport)

Glasgow Warriors v Zebre, Scotstoun Stadium, 7.35pm (live Premier Sports)

ULSTER v CONNACHT, Kingspan Stadium, 7.35pm (live Premier Sports/eir Sport)

Saturday, October 6

Scarlets v Ospreys, Parc y Scarlets, 3pm (live Premier Sports/eir Sport)

Dragons v Cardiff Blues, Rodney Parade, 5.15pm (live Premier Sports/eir Sport)

LEINSTER v MUNSTER, Aviva Stadium, 6pm (live eir Sport/Premier Sports)

Benetton Rugby v Southern Kings, Stadio di Monigo, 8pm (live Free Sports/Super Sport)

ROUND 7 –

Friday, October 26

Southern Kings v Scarlets, Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, 7pm (live Super Sport/Premier Sports/eir Sport)

ULSTER v Dragons, Kingspan Stadium, 7.55pm (live Premier Sports/eir Sport)

Zebre v Edinburgh, Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi, 8pm (live Free Sports)

Saturday, October 27

Benetton Rugby v LEINSTER, Stadio di Monigo, 4pm (live eir Sport/Premier Sports)

MUNSTER v Glasgow Warriors, Thomond Park, 5.15pm (live eir Sport/Premier Sports)

Toyota Cheetahs v Cardiff Blues, Toyota Stadium, 7.15pm (live Super Sport/S4C/Premier Sports)

October 26/27/28

To be confirmed: Ospreys v CONNACHT, Liberty Stadium (live Premier Sports/TG4)

ROUND 8 –

Friday, November 2

Edinburgh v Scarlets, BT Murrayfield, 7.35pm (live Premier Sports/eir Sport)

Ospreys v Glasgow Warriors, Liberty Stadium, 7.35pm (live Premier Sports/eir Sport)

Saturday, November 3

Benetton Rugby v ULSTER, Stadio di Monigo, 4pm (live Premier Sports)

CONNACHT v Dragons, the Sportsground, 5.15pm (live TG4/S4C/Premier Sports)

Sunday, November 4

Cardiff Blues v Zebre, Cardiff Arms Park, 2.45pm (live Free Sports/Premier Sports/eir Sport)

Southern Kings v LEINSTER, Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, 2.45pm (live Super Sport/Premier Sports/eir Sport)

Toyota Cheetahs v MUNSTER, Toyota Stadium, 4.45pm (live Super Sport/eir Sport/Premier Sports)

ROUND 9 –

Friday, November 23

Glasgow Warriors v Cardiff Blues, Scotstoun Stadium, 7.35pm (live Premier Sports/eir Sport)

LEINSTER v Ospreys, the RDS, 7.35pm (live eir Sport/Free Sports/TG4)

Scarlets v ULSTER, Parc y Scarlets, 7.35pm (live Premier Sports/eir Sport)

Saturday, November 24

Toyota Cheetahs v Benetton Rugby, Toyota Stadium, 2.30pm (live Super Sport/Premier Sports/eir Sport)

Sunday, November 25

Southern Kings v CONNACHT, Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, 3pm (live Super Sport/eir Sport/Premier Sports)

Zebre v MUNSTER, Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi, 4.30pm (live eir Sport/Premier Sports)

Dragons v Edinburgh, Rodney Parade, 5.30pm (live S4C/Premier Sports)

ROUND 10 –

Friday, November 30

Ospreys v Zebre, Liberty Stadium, 7.35pm (live Premier Sports/eir Sport)

MUNSTER v Edinburgh, Irish Independent Park, 7.35pm (live eir Sport/Premier Sports)

Saturday, December 1

ULSTER v Cardiff Blues, Kingspan Stadium, 3pm (live Premier Sports/eir Sport)

Toyota Cheetahs v CONNACHT, Toyota Stadium, 5pm (live Super Sport/Free Sports/eir Sport)

Glasgow Warriors v Scarlets, Scotstoun Stadium, 5.15pm (live Premier Sports/S4C/eir Sport)

Dragons v LEINSTER, Rodney Parade, 5.15pm (live Premier Sports/eir Sport/TG4)

Southern Kings v Benetton Rugby, Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, 7.15pm (live Super Sport/Free Sports)

ROUND 11 –

Friday, December 21

ULSTER v MUNSTER, Kingspan Stadium, 7.35pm (live Premier Sports/eir Sport)

Saturday, December 22

Ospreys v Scarlets, Liberty Stadium, 3pm (live Premier Sports)

Cardiff Blues v Dragons, Cardiff Arms Park, 5.15pm (live S4C/Premier Sports/eir Sport)

Edinburgh v Glasgow Warriors, BT Murrayfield, 5.15pm (live Premier Sports/eir Sport)

LEINSTER v CONNACHT, the RDS, 7.45pm (live eir Sport/Premier Sports)

To be confirmed: Zebre v Benetton Rugby, Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi (live Free Sports)

ROUND 12 –

Friday, December 28

CONNACHT v ULSTER, the Sportsground, 7.35pm (live TG4/eir Sport/Premier Sports)

Saturday, December 29

To be confirmed: Benetton Rugby v Zebre, Stadio di Monigo (live Free Sports)

Glasgow Warriors v Edinburgh, Scotstoun Stadium, 3pm (live Premier Sports/eir Sport)

MUNSTER v LEINSTER, Thomond Park, 5.15pm (live eir Sport/Premier Sports)

Scarlets v Cardiff Blues, Parc y Scarlets, 5.15pm (live Premier Sports/eir Sport)

Sunday, December 30

Dragons v Ospreys, Rodney Parade, 3pm (live S4C/Premier Sports/eir Sport)

ROUND 13 –

Saturday, January 5

Benetton Rugby v Glasgow Warriors, Stadio di Monigo, 3pm (live Premier Sports)

LEINSTER v ULSTER, the RDS, 5.15pm (live eir Sport/Premier Sports)

Scarlets v Dragons, Parc y Scarlets, 5.15pm (live Premier Sports/eir Sport)

Edinburgh v Southern Kings, BT Murrayfield, 7.35pm (live Premier Sports/Super Sport)

CONNACHT v MUNSTER, the Sportsground, 7.35pm (TG4/Premier Sports/eir Sport)

Sunday, January 6

Zebre v Toyota Cheetahs, Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi, 2pm (live Super Sport/Free Sports/Premier Sports)

January 4/5/6

To be confirmed: Ospreys v Cardiff Blues, Liberty Stadium (live Premier Sports/eir Sport)

ROUND 11 –

Saturday, January 19

To be confirmed: Southern Kings v Toyota Cheetahs, Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium (live Super Sport/Premier Sports/eir Sport)

ROUND 14 –

Friday, January 25

Glasgow Warriors v Ospreys, Scotstoun Stadium, 7.35pm (live Premier Sports/eir Sport)

LEINSTER v Scarlets, the RDS, 7.35pm (live eir Sport/TG4/Premier Sports)

ULSTER v Benetton Rugby, Kingspan Stadium, 7.35pm (live eir Sport/Free Sports)

Saturday, January 26

Dragons v MUNSTER, Rodney Parade, 3pm (live Premier Sports/eir Sport)

Toyota Cheetahs v Zebre, Toyota Stadium, 3pm (live Super Sport/Premier Sports)

Cardiff Blues v CONNACHT, Cardiff Arms Park, 5.15pm (live S4C/TG4/Premier Sports)

Southern Kings v Edinburgh, Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, 5.15pm (live Super Sport/Premier Sports)

ROUND 12 –

Saturday, February 2

Toyota Cheetahs v Southern Kings, Toyota Stadium, 4pm (live Super Sport/Premier Sports/eir Sport)

ROUND 15 –

Friday, February 15

Edinburgh v Dragons, BT Murrayfield, 7.35pm (live Premier Sports)

MUNSTER v Southern Kings, Irish Independent Park, 7.35pm (live eir Sport/Premier Sports/Super Sport)

Saturday, February 16

Zebre v LEINSTER, Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi, 4pm (live Free Sports/eir Sport)

CONNACHT v Toyota Cheetahs, the Sportsground, 5.30pm (live TG4/eir Sport/Premier Sports/Super Sport)

Benetton Rugby v Scarlets, Stadio di Monigo, 6.15pm (live S4C/Premier Sports)

Cardiff Blues v Glasgow Warriors, Cardiff Arms Park, 7.35pm (live Premier Sports)

February 15/16/17

To be confirmed: Ospreys v ULSTER, Liberty Stadium (live Premier Sports/eir Sport)

ROUND 16 –

Friday, February 22

Glasgow Warriors v CONNACHT, Scotstoun Stadium, 7.35pm (live Free Sports)

Ospreys v MUNSTER, Liberty Stadium, 7.35pm (live Premier Sports/eir Sport/TG4)

LEINSTER v Southern Kings, the RDS, 7.55pm (live eir Sport/Super Sport/Premier Sports)

Saturday, February 23

Benetton Rugby v Dragons, Stadio di Monigo, 2pm (live S4C/Premier Sports/eir Sport)

Edinburgh v Cardiff Blues, BT Murrayfield, 7.35pm (live Premier Sports)

ULSTER v Zebre, Kingspan Stadium, 7.35pm (live Premier Sports)

Sunday, February 24

To be confirmed: Scarlets v Toyota Cheetahs, Parc y Scarlets (live Premier Sports/Super Sport/eir Sport)

ROUND 17 –

Friday, March 1

LEINSTER v Toyota Cheetahs, the RDS, 7.35pm (live eir Sport/Super Sport/Premier Sports)

Saturday, March 2

CONNACHT v Ospreys, the Sportsground, 2.45pm (live TG4/Premier Sports)

Benetton Rugby v Edinburgh, Stadio di Monigo, 4pm (live Premier Sports/Free Sports)

Scarlets v MUNSTER, Parc y Scarlets, 5pm (live S4C/eir Sport 1/Premier Sports)

Zebre v Glasgow Warriors, Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi, 6.15pm (live Premier Sports)

Cardiff Blues v Southern Kings, Cardiff Arms Park, 7.35pm (live Premier Sports/Super Sport)

Sunday, March 3

Dragons v ULSTER, Rodney Parade, 3pm (live Premier Sports/eir Sport)

ROUND 18 –

March 22/23/24

Cardiff Blues v Scarlets
CONNACHT v Benetton Rugby
Edinburgh v LEINSTER
Glasgow Warriors v Toyota Cheetahs
MUNSTER v Zebre
Ospreys v Dragons
ULSTER v Southern Kings

ROUND 19 –

April 5/6/7

Toyota Cheetahs v Ospreys
Glasgow Warriors v ULSTER
Southern Kings v Dragons
LEINSTER v Benetton Rugby
MUNSTER v Cardiff Blues
Scarlets v Edinburgh
Zebre v CONNACHT

ROUND 20 –

April 12/13/14

Toyota Cheetahs v Dragons
CONNACHT v Cardiff Blues
Edinburgh v ULSTER
Southern Kings v Ospreys
LEINSTER v Glasgow Warriors
Scarlets v Zebre
Benetton Rugby v MUNSTER

ROUND 21 –

April 26/27/28

Cardiff Blues v Ospreys
Toyota Cheetahs v Southern Kings
Dragons v Scarlets
Glasgow Warriors v Edinburgh
MUNSTER v CONNACHT
ULSTER v LEINSTER
Zebre v Benetton Rugby

QUARTER-FINAL STAGE –

May 3/4/5

SEMI-FINALS –

May 17/18/19

GUINNESS PRO14 FINAL –

Saturday, May 25

* All fixtures are subject to change