Munster will be defending champions in the new URC season. Picture: Ashley Vlotman/Gallo Images
The full fixture list for the third instalment of the United Rugby Championship, which kicks off in 102 days’ time, has been released by the competition’s organisers.
The league will kick off on Saturday, 21 October with six games taking place followed by a further two on Sunday, 22 October.
URC champions Munster will begin their title defence on Saturday when they host the Sharks from Durban at Thomond Park.
The first fixture of the regular season’s 144 games will come from Italy when Ulster travel to face Zebre Parma, before Connacht host Ospreys at the same time that the Lions and Stormers contest the first derby of the year.
In Wales, Dragons will host Edinburgh and Cardiff welcome Benetton to the Arms Park. The following day the Bulls take on Scarlets before a clash between two of last season’s play-off sides as Leinster visit Scotstoun to take on Glasgow Warriors.
After a two-year window of home or away fixtures against non-Shield opponents, the sequencing has been refreshed. The home and away sequence from this season will be reversed for the 2024/25 campaign to ensure a fair balance of home and away games against the same opponents over a two-year cycle.
In a new approach aimed at reducing long-haul travel across the league, the South African teams will tour twice rather than three times. This means a four-match tour to Europe in the early part of the season followed by a two-game tour after the Six Nations (a balance of two three-game tours will be implemented if future calendars allow for it).
Additionally, the earlier generation of fixtures will assist all teams in their cross-hemisphere travel with improved access to different seat classes and cost efficiencies related to bookings made further in advance.
The opening weekends of the URC will see games played across Saturday and Sunday afternoons to avoid clashes with Rugby World Cup fixtures on Friday and Saturday nights.
With no November Test series break, URC teams will take on a schedule of 11 consecutive weekends of rugby (including EPCR) so January will also provide two relief weekends for teams to take a break in play and to accommodate traditional festive fixturing on Tuesday 26 December in Wales and Ireland.
FOR ALL THE FIXTURES CLICK HERE
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