Pro14 restart: 2019-20 season resumes with derby weekends
- Published
Leinster beat Glasgow in the 2018-19 Pro14 final at Celtic Park
Pro14 organisers have announced details of the 2019-20 season's resumption.
Two weeks of derbies on the last two weekends in August will take place in Wales, Scotland, Ireland and Italy, although the South African dates have not been finalised.
Irish games will be held at Dublin's Aviva Stadium, while Edinburgh and Glasgow will play two matches at Murrayfield.
The season will be completed over four weeks, with the final on 12 September.
The semi-finals will be at Aviva Stadium or Murrayfield on 4/5/6 of September.
All matches are set to be behind closed doors unless respective government advice changes.
Rugby nations Ireland, Wales, Scotland, Italy and South Africa have teams in the Pro14, covering six governmental jurisdictions whose health guidance in the face of Covid-19 must be observed.
League bosses announced in June the Pro14 would resume in August following a five-month break after the tournament was suspended in March because of coronavirus.
The final two conference games will take the regular tally to 15 rather than 21.
Derby dates
Edinburgh and Glasgow will play each other in the space of six days at Murrayfield - on Saturday 22 August at 17:15 BST and Friday 28 August at 19:35 BST - while Ireland's four provinces will face each other in a quartet of matches in Dublin.
The Welsh regions will play each other at their home grounds with the exception of Cardiff Blues, who will switch their game to Rodney Parade in Newport because the Arms Park is acting as part of the temporary Dragon's Heart Hospital at the Principality Stadium.
Scarlets face Cardiff Blues, with Ospreys hosting Dragons on the opening weekend.
So there will be a Rodney Parade double-header with Dragons hosting Scarlets on 29 August before Blues face Ospreys the following day.
Zebre and Benetton will start and finish their campaigns on 21 and 30 August.
At this point, no dates have been fixed for the derby games between Cheetahs and Southern Kings.
Due to the current conditions of the Covid-19 pandemic in South Africa, both teams have only been allowed to return to non-contact training this week.
The Pro14 says it is in constant dialogue with South African Rugby and the clubs and aims to identify appropriate dates for the two derbies when possible.
Final scenarios
Those finishing in the top two places in Conference A and B will contest the semi-finals.
The top three teams in Conference A are Leinster, Ulster and Glasgow Warriors and the top three in Conference B are Edinburgh, Munster and Scarlets.
Defending champions Leinster are already guaranteed to finish top of Conference A as they currently hold an unassailable 18-point lead.
In Conference B, Edinburgh have a two-point lead over Munster, who are also well-placed for a spot in the last four with an eight-point advantage over Scarlets in third.
European qualification will be based on finishing positions after round 13, which has already been finalised, with the unplayed games deemed draws as the Champions Cup looks set to expand to 24 teams for the 2020-21 tournament.
The top four sides from each conference are in line to book their place in next season's competition, but that does not include South African sides who are ineligible for European tournaments.
"So far we have been encouraged by the developments that have allowed all of our teams to return to training," tournament director David Jordan said.
"Thanks to the great efforts of our clubs and unions, the willingness of governments and support of our broadcasters we now have a fixture list to look forward to.
"Everyone who makes our games possible has had to adapt to a new way of working under the restrictions of the pandemic, and the response of all our key stakeholders has been impressive.
"With these fixtures now confirmed we are all geared to safe delivery of these games and the welcome return of rugby after such a long period without the sport."
Pro14 2019-20 fixtures
Friday, 21 August
Benetton v Zebre, Stadio Monigo, 19:00 BST
Saturday, 22 August
Scarlets v Cardiff Blues, Parc y Scarlets, 15:00 BST
Edinburgh v Glasgow, Murrayfield, 17:15 BST
Leinster v Munster, Aviva Stadium, 19:35 BST
Sunday, 23 August
Ospreys v Dragons, Liberty Stadium, 14:15 BST
Connacht v Ulster, Aviva Stadium, 16:30 BST
Friday, 28 August
Glasgow v Edinburgh, Murrayfield, 19:35 BST
Saturday, 29 August
Dragons v Scarlets, Rodney Parade, 17:15 BST
Ulster v Leinster, Aviva Stadium, 19:35 BST
Sunday, 30 August
Munster v Connacht, Aviva Stadium, 15:00 BST
Cardiff Blues v Ospreys, Rodney Parade, 17:00 BST
Zebre v Benetton, Stadio Lanfranchi, 19:00 BST.