Premiership 2021-22 fixtures: Bristol host Saracens in opener, Harlequins at Newcastle
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Three-time European Champions Cup winners Saracens beat Ealing 117-15 on aggregate to win the Championship play-off final
Promoted Saracens will begin the 2021-22 Premiership season with a trip to Bristol, last term's table-toppers.
Five-time Premiership winners Sarries secured an immediate return from the Championship after being relegated for repeated breaches of the salary cap.
The Bears, beaten by Harlequins in the play-offs, host Mark McCall's side in the season opener on 17 September.
Champions Quins, who beat Exeter in last month's final, will start the defence of their title at Newcastle.
Exeter, beaten 40-38 by Quins in the Twickenham final, travel to Leicester Tigers on Saturday, 18 September.
Northampton, Sale and Worcester have also been handed home matches on the same day, against Gloucester, Bath and London Irish respectively.
Quins' trip to Newcastle on Sunday, 19 September completes the first round of fixtures.
With the Premiership expanding to 13 teams after no relegation last season, Wasps do not have a game on the opening weekend.
There will be no relegation in 2021-22, with the top flight expanding to 14 teams for the 2022-23 season.
The Premiership final will take place on Saturday, 18 June 2022.
Opening weekend Premiership fixtures
Friday, 17 September (19:45 BST)
Bristol Bears v Saracens
Saturday, 18 September (15:00 BST)
Leicester Tigers v Exeter Chiefs
Northampton Saints v Gloucester
Sale Sharks v Bath
Worcester Warriors v London Irish
Sunday, 19 September (15:00 BST)
Newcastle Falcons v Harlequins
Harlequins beat Exeter at Twickenham in June to win the Premiership title for the first time since 2012