CHAMPIONS Leinster welcome the Bulls in Round 1 of the new United Rugby Champiosnhip which kicks off on September 24. Dates for the final eight weeks of games are to be confirmed.
Sides from the northern hemisphere will play two away games in South Africa each season, with these games being played back-to-back.
There will be one division of 16 teams, with the top eight going into end-ofseason play-offs.
There will also be four regional pools within the tournament with the quartet of Welsh regions, Irish provinces and South African sides each forming a nation-specific group, with the two Scotland and Italian sides in the other.
All points won during the regular season will contribute to rankings in the regional pools and the highest-ranking team in each of the four pools will earn a place in the Champions Cup for 2022-23.
UNITED UNITED RUGBY CHAMPIONSHIP FIXTURES
ROUND 1 Friday, 24 September
Zebre v Lions, Ulster v Glasgow, Cardiff v Connacht
Saturday, 25 September
Benetton v Stormers, Leinster v Bulls, Edinburgh v Scarlets, Munster v Sharks
Sunday, 26 September Dragons v Ospreys
ROUND 2 Friday, 1 October
Connacht v Bulls, Scarlets v Lions
Saturday, 2 October
Benetton v Edinburgh, Glasgow v Sharks, Zebre v Ulster, Ospreys v Cardiff, Munster v Stormers, Dragons v Leinster
ROUND 3 Friday, 8 October
Ulster v Benetton, Ospreys v Sharks
Saturday, 9 October
Leinster v Zebre, Glasgow v Lions, Connacht v Dragons, Edinburgh v Stormers, Cardiff v Bulls
Sunday, 10 October
Scarlets v Munster
ROUND 4 Friday, 15 October
Ulster v Lions, Dragons v Stormers
Saturday, 16 October
Zebre v Glasgow, Benetton v Ospreys, Leinster v Scarlets, Edinburgh v Bulls, Munster v Connacht, Cardiff v Sharks
ROUND 5 Friday, 22 October
Scarlets v Benetton
Saturday, 23 October
Zebre v Edinburgh, Glasgow v Leinster, Cardiff v Dragons, Connacht v Ulster, Ospreys v Munster
Saturday, 5 February Lions v Sharks, Stormers v Bulls
ROUND 6 Friday, 26 November
Connacht v Ospreys
Saturday, 27 November
Stormers v Zebre, Benetton v Glasgow, Sharks v Scarlets, Dragons v Edinburgh, Bulls v Munster, Leinster v Ulster
Sunday, 28 November
Lions v Cardiff
ROUND 7 Friday, 3 December
Bulls v Scarlets, Edinburgh v Benetton, Leinster v Connacht
Saturday, 4 December
Sharks v Zebre, Ospreys v Ulster, Lions v Munster, Glasgow v Dragons, Stormers v Cardiff
ROUND 8 Friday, 24 December
Zebre v Benetton
Sunday, 26 December
Cardiff v Scarlets, Ulster v Connacht, Ospreys v Dragons, Munster v Leinster
Monday, 27 December
Glasgow v Edinburgh
Saturday, 12 February Bulls v Sharks, Stormers v Lions
ROUND 9 Saturday, 1 January
Dragons v Cardiff, Connacht v Munster, Scarlets v Ospreys, Ulster v Leinster
Sunday, 2 January
Benetton v Zebre, Edinburgh v Glasgow
Saturday, 19 March
Lions v Bulls, Sharks v Stormers
ROUND 10 Friday, 7 January
Leinster v Lions
Saturday, 8 January
Benetton v Sharks, Zebre v Bulls, Edinburgh v Cardiff, Connacht v Stormers, Glasgow v Ospreys, Munster v Ulster, Scarlets v Dragons
ROUND 11 January 28/29/30
Connacht v Glasgow, Ulster v Scarlets, Cardiff v Leinster, Dragons v Benetton, Ospreys v Edinburgh, Bulls v Lions, Stormers v Sharks, Zebre v Munster
ROUND 12 February 18/19/20
Leinster v Ospreys, Munster v Edinburgh, Cardiff v Zebre, Dragons v Ulster, Scarlets v Connacht, Lions v Stormers, Sharks v Bulls, Glasgow v Benetton
ROUND 13 March 4/5/6
Munster v Dragons, Ulster v Cardiff, Scarlets v Glasgow, Ospreys v Zebre, Bulls v Stormers, Sharks v Lions, Edinburgh v Connacht, Benetton v Leinster
ROUND 14 March 25/26/27
Connacht v Leinster, Munster v Benetton, Cardiff v Glasgow, Bulls v Dragons, Lions v Ospreys, Sharks v Edinburgh, Stormers v Ulster, Zebre v Scarlets
ROUND 15 April 1/2/3
Leinster v Munster, Scarlets v Cardiff, Bulls v Ulster, Lions v Edinburgh, Sharks v Dragons, Stormers v Ospreys, Glasgow v Zebre, Benetton v Connacht
ROUND 16 April 22/23/24
Ulster v Munster, Cardiff v Ospreys, Dragons v Scarlets, Bulls v Benetton, Lions v Connacht, Sharks v Leinster, Stormers v Glasgow, Edinburgh v Zebre
ROUND 17 April 29/30
Munster v Cardiff, Ospreys v Scarlets, Bulls v Glasgow, Lions v Benetton, Sharks v Connacht, Stormers v Leinster, Edinburgh v Ulster, Zebre v Dragons
ROUND 18 May 20/21/22
Connacht v Zebre, Leinster v Edinburgh, Ulster v Sharks, Dragons v Lions, Scarlets v Stormers, Ospreys v Bulls, Glasgow v Munster, Benetton v Cardiff
