Gloucester get Leicester first up
July 04 2008
The opening weekend of the 2008/09 Guinness Premiership season will provide Gloucester with a chance for revenge over rivals Leicester.
Leicester pipped Gloucester in the semi-finals, having only qualified for the play-offs in the last minute of the regular season. Gloucester on the other hand finished top of the table, but once again failed to win the title in the play-offs.
They will host Leicester, now under the guidance of Heyneke Meyer, at Kingsholm on the first weekend in September. There will also be a west country derby as Bristol play host to Bath.
The now traditional Twickenham double-header will see London Irish take on champions Wasps, followed by Saracens against Harlequins.
Fresh from promotion Northampton kick their season off with a home game against Worcester, and the final fixture is Newcastle at home to Sale Sharks.
The final round of the regular season will take place on Saturday 25 April, and the Guinness Premiership Final has been booked for 16 May to avoid any clash with the opening fixtures of the British and Irish Lions tour of South Africa.
Opening round of fixtures, 5-7 September 2008
Bristol v Bath
Gloucester v Leicester Tigers
Newcastle Falcons v Sale Sharks
Northampton Saints v Worcester Warriors
London Irish v Wasps
Saracens v Harlequins