United Rugby Championship: 2023-24 season to start on 21 October because of World Cup
- Published
Glasgow finished eight places above Edinburgh in the URC last season
The 2023-24 United Rugby Championship (URC) season will begin on 21 October and end with the final on 22 June.
The campaign starts later than usual because of the World Cup in France, with the opening round of matches on the weekend of the semi-finals.
The top eight URC sides will qualify for the end-of-season play-offs, which start on 7 June, 2024.
Glasgow Warriors open at home to Leinster on 22 October, with Edinburgh away to Dragons the day before.
Once again, the 1872 Cup intercity derbies are played across the festive period, with Glasgow the hosts on 22 December and Murrayfield staging the return on 30 December.
All of Edinburgh's other home matches will be played at the DAM Health Stadium in the shadow of the national stadium.
To reduce long-haul travel across the league, the South African teams in the league will tour Europe twice across the campaign rather than three times.
Glasgow were fourth in the table last season, losing out at home to eventual champions Munster in the play-off quarter-finals, while Edinburgh are looking to improve on a disappointing 12th-place finish.
First five fixtures
Glasgow Warriors: Leinster (H), Connacht (A), Stormers (H), Ospreys (A), Benetton (H).
Edinburgh: Dragons (A), Emirates Lions (H), Leinster (A), Connacht (H) Bulls (H).
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