Your guide to Welsh rugby's pre-season fixtures
Dragons, Ospreys, Cardiff and Scarlets start the URC at the end of September
- Published
The first block of the 2025-26 United Rugby Championship (URC) season is looming but Welsh rugby seems focused on a seismic decision scheduled for the end of October.
Cardiff, Dragons, Ospreys and Scarlets face uncertain futures because of another planned shake-up by the Welsh Rugby Union but the players must somehow put that to the back of their minds.
While uncertainty remains over the future of Welsh professional rugby, the four sides have been shaping their squads for the season - with plenty of ins and outs so far this summer.
Pre-season training has ramped up in the build-up to round one of the URC, which gets under way on Friday, 26 September, and players will take to the field next weekend.
Here are the friendlies lined up by the Welsh quartet, with a pair of derbies in the calendar.
Saturday, 6 September
Cardiff 71-10 Richmond - Cardiff Arms Park
Hartpury University RFC 12-45 Dragons – Hartpury University Stadium
Ospreys 26-38 Exeter Chiefs – Brewery Field, Bridgend
Scarlets 26-7 Llandovery, Scarlets 5-7 Carmarthen Quins (40-minute games) - Church Bank, Llandovery
Saturday, 13 September
Dragons 33-28 Scarlets - Rodney Parade.
Leinster v Cardiff 10-31 - Tallaght Stadium.