Pro 12 fixtures

[mikerob]

Some snippets of information here about the draft fixture list... opening game looks like it is home to Glasgow.

RUGBY PRO 12: LEINSTER AND Munster will clash at the RDS in the newly-named RaboDirect Pro12 the week before they open their Heineken Cup campaigns in November.

The clash of the Heineken Cup and Magners League champions is likely to see the return of the Irish players to their provinces after the World Cup.

Connacht, who will play in the Heineken Cup for the first time next season, face a daunting trip to play Ulster at Ravenhill the week before their debut as they try to bridge a 60-year gap since their last victory in Belfast.

A draft of the fixtures has been sent to the 12 clubs and while they are subject to change, Munster and Leinster will again face each other at Thomond Park the week before the Heineken Cup quarter-finals next April. As usual there will be successive Irish derby games over the Christmas period. Munster will host Connacht and Leinster will entertain Ulster, probably on Friday, December 23rd, while Leinster travel to the Sportsground and Munster head to Ravenhill for the new year’s weekend fixtures.

Champions Munster will open the defence of their title when they host Newport Gwent Dragons on the first weekend in September. Leinster will travel to Ospreys, Connacht head to Italy to face Benetton Treviso and Ulster will have home advantage against Glasgow Warriors.

The only Irish derby scheduled to take place during the World Cup will see Leinster take on Connacht at the RDS on the weekend starting October 7th.

The competition will take a two-week break in March for the Six Nations.

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/spo ... 11170.html

[notj]

Whats your source regarding the Glasgow fixture Mike?

They have a good few Scottish internationals, so would be a good time to play them. They have a superb lock partnership of Gray and Kellock, but no real cover for them and they will be away on international duty. Likewise their first choice halfbacks Cusiter and Jackson will be missing.

[Cormac]

Whats your source regarding the Glasgow fixture Mike?

They have a good few Scottish internationals, so would be a good time to play them. They have a superb lock partnership of Gray and Kellock, but no real cover for them and they will be away on international duty. Likewise their first choice halfbacks Cusiter and Jackson will be missing.

It's in the article quoted.

[notj]

[Rooster]

Would like to think we could beat Glasgow at home even if they had full side so no real benefit of having them during RWC

[pwrmoore]

Would like to think we could beat Glasgow at home even if they had full side so no real benefit of having them during RWC

True. Is there a full list of the early fixtures somewhere yet? Every time I go to the old Magners League site it just says that the Pro12 site is "coming soon"

[BR]

According to the IT, we have:

UvG,OvL,TvC, MvD

That leaves B,S,E &A

I'm guessing they'll hold off on the Welsh derby,

so BvE & SvA or BvA & SvE

Probably relaunch the website with the fixtures, this day week (at a guess)

[notj]

Having a winnable home game first up is very important. We'll be missing lots of experienced players, new players will be in the 22 and we'll have only had two pre-season games and be rusty.

There are plenty of banana-skin fixtures we could have had. I'm very pleased to have a very winnable tie at Ravenhill first up.

[baldeagle09]

It's a pity the announcement of a fixture list is so late. It is not conducive to planning either away trips or indeed holidays. (I hate being out of the country when Ulster are at home).

I am sure others are in the same boat. It ain't rocket science so sort it out!

[Aird]

The problem with fixtures revolves around the ERC firstly then there is the further complication of the Clubs that are tenants of Football clubs ie Ospreys, Cardiff Blues and Glasgow Warriors who getting second choice of grounds.
This a problem for the Pro 12 league but is even worse for Junior clubs who have to wait for the Southern Ail clubs that share ground with Munster to sort out the Ail Fixtures also Cookeand Instonians who were also a blocker.
Having said that you would think that this process could be speeded up as the football fixtures have been out for ages.

[Lanzaman]

Fixtures up : http://www.rabodirectpro12.com/fixtures.php

[cables]

Good spot Lanza.

Ulster fixtures:
2/3/4 Sep Ulster   v   Warriors Ravenhill
9/10/11 Sep Aironi   v   Ulster Stadio Zaffanella
16/17/18 Sep Ulster   v   Blues Ravenhill
23/24/25 Sep Ospreys   v   Ulster Liberty Stadium
30 Sep, Dragons   v   Ulster Rodney Parade
7/8/9 Oct Ulster   v   Treviso Ravenhill
28/29/30 Oct Scarlets   v   Ulster Parc y Scarlets
4/5/6 Nov Ulster   v   Connacht Ravenhill
25/26/27 Nov Warriors   v   Ulster Firhill Stadium
2/3/4 Dec Ulster   v   Scarlets Ravenhill
23/24/25 Dec Leinster   v   Ulster Royal Dublin Society
30/31 Dec, Ulster   v   Munster Ravenhill
6/7/8 Jan Edinburgh   v   Ulster Murrayfield
10/11/12 Feb Ulster   v   Dragons Ravenhill
17/18/19 Feb Blues   v   Ulster Cardiff City Stadium
24/25/26 Feb Ulster   v   Ospreys Ravenhill
2/3/4 Mar Ulster   v   Edinburgh Ravenhill
23/24/25 Mar Treviso   v   Ulster Stadio di Monigo
30/31 Mar, Ulster   v   Aironi Ravenhill
13/14/15 Apr Connacht   v   Ulster Sportsground
20/21/22 Apr Ulster   v   Leinster Ravenhill
4/5/6 May Munster   v   Ulster Thomond Park Stadium

[Flat-top]

Thanks for the update lads, helps to ensure cheaper flights.

Anyone know what is so special about the 30th September fixtures, all others are spread across the weekend (Fri-Sun) but in that particular case they have chosen the same day for all matches (Fri)...of course just as likely an error on the website!

[Surrey Red Hand]

Noticed that one myself FT .. I wouldn't stay in Newport anyway .. drive there and get back over the border soon as

Btw ... I'd be surprised if YOU were allowed back into Rodney Parade after your antics there last game of the season

[thewaterboy]

Dont like the look of our last four matches:

(1) Leinster
(2) Munster
(3) Semi v Leinster
(4) Final v Munster