The makeup of the Guinness PRO14 Conferences will remain unchanged for the upcoming season, a decision made after consultation with the clubs after last season’s first run of the expanded format.
It had initially been felt that the Conferences would change annually but running on a two-year cycle means that each side will be able to play home and away at each side across both conferences.
Each team plays those in their own conference home and away in the season. They play the teams in the other conference home or away, except in the case of Derby fixtures where they play home and away regardless.
This means that once more Leinster and Ulster will face Scarlets, Dragons, Benetton, Edinburgh and the Southern Kings.
Munster and Connacht will go up against Glasgow Warriors, Ospreys, Cardiff Blues, Zebre and the Toyota Cheetahs.
Opening Round
The opening round of fixtures for this season have been confirmed with Leinster travelling to Cardiff on Friday, August 31st in a game to be televised live on eir Sport as part of the broadcasters new three-year deal.
Ulster host Scarlets the following day, while Munster take on the Toyota Cheetahs and Connacht entertain Glasgow Warriors.
All three games will be televised live on eir Sport with TG4’s weekly free to air live game on the opening weekend being the Connacht game as well.
“We are very satisfied with how the tournament, our teams and broadcasters handled the expansion into South Africa in the first Guinness PRO14 season and it is our responsibility to ensure we build upon that,” said Tournament director David Jordan.
“Initially, we envisioned the Conference line-ups changing from year to year but having reviewed the previous season it was felt that our clubs would be better served working in a two-year cycle to ensure the balance of fixtures.”
“Naturally, our clubs have been energised by the expansion, but as key stakeholders in the Championship it was important to adjust the format to help them harness this enthusiasm in order to be successful on and off the pitch. The Guinness PRO14 was highly competitive last season and we have no doubt that we will see the standards rise yet again across both Conferences in the upcoming season.”
“It’s Only The Beginning”: Read our Exclusive Interview with Guinness PRO14 Commercial and Marketing Director Dermot Rigley
“In this the second year of the new Guinness PRO14 format I think it’s important that we have secured the same Conferences for our teams but with the home and away draw alternating,” added Leinster Rugby CEO, Mick Dawson.
“This allows our supporters, who attended in record numbers last season, to again see the rivalries build on what was a hugely successful first full PRO14 season.”
“The process of scheduling Guinness PRO14 matches is unique in its complexity given the different territories involved, with some clubs having shared stadia and indeed the travel issues affecting teams on a week-to-week basis.
In that regard, it is great that we have the 2018/19 fixture list live ahead of time. This could not be done without the help and support of all the key stakeholders, in particular, eir sport and Premier Sports.”
PRO14 Rugby also served to whet the appetite for the forthcoming season by releasing statistics about last year’s tournament
Attendances
– Overall attendance: 1,307,949 (+10%)
– Final Series attendance: 98,808 (+25%)
– Eight clubs have grown attendances (+13.9% average)
– Glasgow Warriors sold out for EVERY game
Game Play
– New try-scoring record: 681 (second year in a row to break the record)
– Fifth year in a row that try-scoring has increased
– 5.9 tries per game: highest of European leagues
– Fastest Rucks in club rugby globally: 81% at three seconds or less
– Fewest TMO referrals in club rugby globally: 1.8 per game
Guinness PRO14 Final
– Record attendance: 46,092
– Sean Cronin: First player to score in three finals
– Johnny McNicholl: First player to score a hat-trick in final
– Record number of tries: 9
– Record total of points: 72
– Jordan Larmour: Youngest ever try scorer at 20 years 350 days
International Rugby
– Ireland win the Grand Slam, Celtic nations finish 1,2,3 for the first time since 1975
– Ireland, Wales, Scotland all recorded wins over Southern Hemisphere
– 65 international debuts from PRO14 in a year
– Total number of internationals appearing: 287
European Rugby
– Leinster and Cardiff – first time to have two European winners in one season
That is a pretty impressive roll call of performance, especially heading into a calendar year where the Rugby World Cup will be uppermost in minds.
Sign up today for our free daily news digest covering the commercial world of sport or discover the benefits of becoming a full member alongside the many leading organisations whom we serve.
Image Credit: Dan Sheridan, Inpho Photography
