Pro14: Monday matches introduced for new 2020-21 season
- Published
James Lowe scores a try for winners Leinster against Ulster in the 2019-20 final
The Pro14 will stage Monday night rugby after the fixtures were released for the 2020-21 season.
Munster will host Cardiff Blues in the first Monday match on 26 October in the third round of games.
The season starts on Friday, 2 October with the first eight rounds of matches revealed.
South African sides hope to still be involved in the Pro14 competition this season by entering the tournament in 2021.
Cheetahs and Southern Kings were the two sides involved when the tournament expanded for 2017-18 to include South African teams.
While Cheetahs will continue, Kings will not be involved after going into liquidation and Pro14 bosses are involved in negotiations with South African Rugby about which of their current professional franchises will take their place.
There are also expansion talks ongoing between Pro14 Rugby and SA Rugby about the potential to add more South African franchises to the competition in 2021.
Manic Monday
The 14 Monday night games have been introduced to help avoid clashes with international games and while there are no crowds.
"Thanks to the buy-in from teams and broadcasters we believe we have delivered an innovative solution to challenges posed by the international rugby calendar," said Pro14 Rugby chairman Dominic McKay.
"Playing on Monday nights provides the Pro14 with a unique platform in the rugby market and enables us to make the most of playing through a busy time."
The first 11 rounds of fixtures from the opening October weekend until early January will not include South African teams, with the 12 European clubs playing each other during this first phase.
The one exception is between Scottish and Italian clubs to ensure back-to-back derbies over Christmas and New Year.
The two conference system will be kept and the second phase will begin is when teams within their section play each other again, reversing the home and away sequence they played during the first phase.
This is when the South Africa sides will also be reintroduced but they will not play a full complement of matches and would be expected to start travelling in March. Teams travelling from Europe would fly out from mid-April.
Organisers say derby matches have been catered for, with key games in their requested weekends.
Leinster and Munster at the Aviva Stadium and the Welsh regional double-header of Judgement Day will still be held in April.
Scotland's 1872 Cup finale between Edinburgh and Glasgow and the final Italian derby match between Zebre and Treviso should be staged during the last round of matches.
Cardiff Blues have not confirmed where their home matches will be played with the Arms Park having been out of action because it was part of the Principality Stadium field hospital complex.
Blues played their final home match of the 2019-20 season at Rodney Parade.
Round one (times subject to change)
Friday, 2 October
Zebre v Cardiff Blues, Stadio Lanfranchi, 18:00 BST
Ulster v Benetton, Kingspan Stadium, 20:15 BST
Leinster v Dragons, RDS Arena, 20:15 BST
Saturday, 3 October
Scarlets v Munster, Parc y Scarlets, 15:00 BST
Connacht v Glasgow, The Sportsground, 17:15 BST
Edinburgh v Ospreys, BT Murrayfield, 19:35 BST
Round two
Friday, 9 October
Dragons v Zebre, Rodney Parade, 20:15 BST
Saturday, 10 October
Benetton v Leinster, Stadio Monigo, 17:15 BST
Ospreys v Ulster, Liberty Stadium, 17:15 BST
Munster v Edinburgh, Thomond Park, 19:35 BST
Cardiff Blues v Connacht, tbc, 19:35 BST
Sunday, 11 October
Glasgow v Scarlets, Scotstoun, 17:15 BST
Round three
Friday, 23 October
Leinster v Zebre, RDS Arena, 19:35 BST
Benetton v Scarlets, Stadio Monigo, 20:15 BST
Saturday, 24 October
Ospreys v Glasgow, Liberty Stadium, 17:30 BST
Sunday, 25 October
Ulster v Dragons, Kingspan Stadium, 15:00 BST
Edinburgh v Connacht, BT Murrayfield, 19:35 BST
Monday, 26 October
Munster v Cardiff Blues, Thomond Park, 20:15 BST
Round four
Sunday, 1 November
Dragons v Munster, Rodney Parade, 14:00 GMT
Connacht v Benetton, The Sportsground, 16:30 GMT
Scarlets v Edinburgh, Parc y Scarlets, 18:45 GMT
Monday, 2 November
Cardiff Blues v Ulster, tbc, 18:00 GMT
Zebre v Ospreys, Stadio Lanfranchi, 19:15 GMT
Glasgow v Leinster, Scotstoun, 20:15 GMT
Round five
Saturday, 7 November
Benetton v Munster, Stadio Monigo, 14:00 GMT
Dragons v Connacht, Rodney Parade, 17:15 GMT
Sunday, 8 November
Ospreys v Leinster, Liberty Stadium, 15:00 GMT
Scarlets v Zebre, Parc y Scarlets, 17:15 GMT
Monday, 9 November
Edinburgh v Cardiff Blues, BT Murrayfield, 20:15 GMT
Ulster v Glasgow, Kingspan Stadium, 20:15 GMT
Round six
Saturday, 14 November
Connacht v Scarlets, The Sportsground, 19:35 GMT
Sunday, 15 November
Munster v Ospreys, Thomond Park, 14:45 GMT
Glasgow v Dragons, Scotstoun, 18:30 GMT
Monday, 16 November
Zebre v Ulster, Stadio Lanfranchi, 18:00 GMT
Cardiff Blues v Benetton, tbc, 20:15 GMT
Leinster v Edinburgh, RDS Arena, 20:15 GMT
Round seven
Sunday, 22 November
Zebre v Connacht, Stadio Lanfranchi, 14:30 GMT
Ospreys v Benetton, Liberty Stadium, 15:00 GMT
Leinster v Cardiff Blues, RDS Arena, 17:15 GMT
Ulster v Scarlets, Kingspan Stadium, 19:35 GMT
Monday, 23 November
Dragons v Edinburgh, Rodney Parade, 18:00 GMT
Glasgow v Munster, Scotstoun, 20:15 GMT
Round eight
Saturday, 28 November
Connacht v Ospreys, The Sportsground, 19:35 GMT
Sunday, 29 November
Scarlets v Leinster, Parc y Scarlets, 17:15 GMT
Cardiff Blues v Glasgow, tbc, 19:35 GMT
Monday, 30 November
Benetton v Dragons, Stadio Monigo, 18:00 GMT
Munster v Zebre, Thomond Park, 20:15 GMT
Edinburgh v Ulster, BT Murrayfield, 20:15 GMT.
Round 9
December 26/27
Connacht v Ulster
Munster v Leinster
Zebre v Benetton
Glasgow v Edinburgh
Dragons v Cardiff Blues
Ospreys v Scarlets
Round 10
January 2/3, 2021
Leinster v Connacht
Ulster v Munster
Benneton v Zebre
Edinburgh v Glasgow
Cardiff Blues v Ospreys
Scarlets v Dragons
Round 11
January 9/10
Connacht v Munster
Leinster v Ulster
Zebre v Edinburgh
Glasgow v Benetton
Cardiff Blues v Scarlets
Dragons v Ospreys