Leinster to start Pro14 campaign in Italy

Defending champions to meet Benetton on opening weekend

Defending champions Leinster will kick off their 2019-20 Pro14 campaign with a trip to Italy on September 28th, the same day that Ireland take on Japan in the Rugby World Cup.

Leo Cullen’s side, who defeated Glasgow in the final in May, will face Benetton, Munster will take on the Dragons while Ulster face a Friday night appointment with Ospreys and Connacht travel to take on the Scarlets.

The first provincial derby will take place on November 8th with Connacht welcoming Leinster to the Sportsground with Munster facing Ulster the next day.

The Christmas period will see Leinster meeting Ulster at the RDS on December 20th and Connacht hosting Munster the following afternoon. Ulster then meet Connacht on December 27th with Munster taking on Leinster in Limerick on December 28th.

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The season will kick off in Bloemfontein and Belfast on September 27th. The opening game sees the South Africa-based Cheetahs hosting 2015 league champions Glasgow. The league organisers have announced a 75 per cent increase in Saturday 3pm kick-offs from last season, with 30 matches scheduled for that time slot.

The date and venue for next year’s final have yet to be announced but it is understood that Cardiff City Stadium is a clear favourite.

Round 1 
Friday, September 27th

Cheetahs v Glasgow Warriors, Toyota Stadium, 19:05
Ulster v Ospreys, Kingspan Stadium, 19:35  
Saturday, September 28th
Munster v Dragons, Thomond Park, 15:00  
Southern Kings v Cardiff Blues, Nelson Mandela Bay, 16:00  
Scarlets v Connacht, Parc y Scarlets, 17:15  
Benetton v Leinster, Stadio Monigo, 18:15  
Edinburgh v Zebre, Murrayfield, 19:35

Round 2
Friday, October 4th

Glasgow Warriors v Scarlets, Scotstoun Stadium, 19:35  
Leinster v Ospreys, RDS Arena, 19:35  
Saturday, October 5th
Southern Kings  v Munster, Nelson Mandela Bay, 16:00  
Cardiff Blues v Edinburgh, Cardiff Arms Park, 17:15  
Zebre v Dragons, Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi, 18:00  
Cheetahs v Ulster, Toyota Stadium, 18:15
Connacht v Benetton, Sportsground, 19:35

Round 3
Friday, October 11th

Dragons v Connacht, Rodney Parade, 19:35  
Leinster v Edinburgh, RDS Arena, 19:35
Saturday, October 12th
Scarlets v Zebre, Parc y Scarlets, 15:00  
Southern Kings v Ulster, Nelson Mandela Bay, 16:00  
Cheetahs v Munster, Toyota Stadium, 18:15  
Glasgow Warriors v Cardiff Blues, Scotstoun Stadium, 19:35  
Ospreys v Benetton Rugby, Liberty Stadium, 19:35

Round 4
Friday, October 25th

Munster v Ospreys, Musgrave Park, 19:35  
Ulster v Cardiff Blues, Kingspan Stadium, 19:35  
Saturday, October 26th
Dragons v Glasgow Warriors, Rodney Parade, 15:00  
Benetton v Southern Kings, Stadio Monigo, 16:00  
Connacht v Cheetahs, Sportsground, 17:15  
Zebre v Leinster, Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi, 18:15  
Edinburgh v Scarlets, Murrayfield, 19:35

Round 5
Friday, November 1st

Glasgow v Southern Kings, Scotstoun Stadium, 19:35  
Leinster v Dragons, RDS Arena, 19:35  
Ulster v Zebre, Kingspan Stadium, 19:35  
Saturday, November 2nd
Scarlets v Cheetahs, Parc y Scarlets, 15:00  
Ospreys v Connacht, Liberty Stadium, 17:15  
Benetton v Edinburgh, Stadio Monigo, 18:15  
Cardiff Blues v Munster, Cardiff Arms Park, 19:35

Round 6
Friday, November 8th

Connacht v Leinster, Sportsground, 19:35  
Edinburgh v Dragons, Murrayfield, 19:35  
Saturday, November 9th
Ospreys v Southern Kings, Liberty Stadium, 15:00  
Zebre v Glasgow Warriors, Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi, 16:00  
Cardiff Blues v Cheetahs, Cardiff Arms Park, 17:15  
Munster v Ulster, Thomond Park, 17:15  
Scarlets v Benetton, Parc y Scarlets, 19:35

Round 7
Friday, November 29th

Munster v Edinburgh, Musgrave Park, 19:35  
Ulster v Scarlets, Kingspan Stadium, 19:35  
Saturday, November 30th
Benetton v Cardiff Blues, Stadio Monigo, 16:00  
Connacht v Southern Kings, Sportsground, 17:15  
Dragons v Zebre, Rodney Parade, 17:15  
Glasgow Warriors v Leinster, Scotstoun Stadium, 19:35  
Ospreys v Cheetahs, 19:35

Round 8
Friday, December 20th

Leinster v Ulster, RDS Arena, 19:35  
Saturday, December 21st
Zebre v Benetton, Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi, 16:00  
Connacht v Munster, Sportsground, 17:15  
Dragons v Scarlets, Rodney Parade, 17:15  
Glasgow Warriors v Edinburgh, Scotstoun Stadium, 17:45  
Ospreys v Cardiff Blues, Liberty Stadium, 19:35

Round 9
Thursday, December 26th

Cardiff Blues v Dragons, Cardiff Arms Park, 15:00  
Scarlets v Ospreys, Parc y Scarlets, 17:15  
Friday, December 27th
Ulster v Connacht, Kingspan Stadium, 19:35  
Saturday, December 28th
Benetton v Zebre, Stadio Monigo, 14:00  
Edinburgh v Glasgow Warriors, Murrayfield, 15:00  
Munster v Leinster, Thomond Park, 18:00

Round 10
Friday, January 3rd

Cardiff v Scarlets, Cardiff Arms Park , 19:35 
Ulster v Munster, Kingspan Stadium, 19:35  
Saturday, January 4th
Benetton v Glasgow Warriors, Stadio Monigo, 14:00  
Dragons v Ospreys, Rodney Parade, 15:00  
Zebre v Cheetahs, Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi, 16:00  
Leinster v Connacht, RDS Arena, 17:30  
Edinburgh v Southern Kings, Murrayfield, 19:45

Round 8
Saturday, January 25th

Southern Kings v  Cheetahs, Nelson Mandela Bay

Round 9
Saturday, February 1st

Cheetahs v Southern Kings, Toyota Stadium

Round 11
Friday, February 14th

Glasgow Warriors v Zebre, Scotstoun Stadium, 19:35  
Munster v Southern Kings, Musgrave Park, 19:35  
Saturday, February 15th
Leinster v Cheetahs, RDS Arena, 14:30
Scarlets v Edinburgh, Parc y Scarlets, 15:00  
Ospreys v Ulster, Liberty Stadium, 17:15  
Connacht v Cardiff Blues, Sportsground, 19:35  
Dragons v Benetton, Rodney Parade, 19:35

Round 12
Friday, February 21st

Edinburgh v Connacht, Murrayfield, 19:35  
Ospreys v Leinster, 19:35
Zebre v Munster, Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi, 20:35  
Saturday, February 22nd
Glasgow Warriors v Dragons, Scotstoun Stadium, 19:35  
Ulster v Cheetahs, Kingspan Stadium, 19:35  
Sunday, February 23nd
Cardiff Blues v Benetton, Cardiff Arms Park, 17:15  
Scarlets v Southern Kings, Parc y Scarlets, 17:15

Round 13
Friday, February 28th

Edinburgh v Cardiff, Murrayfield, 19:35  
Leinster v Glasgow Warriors, RDS Arena, 19:35  
Saturday, February 29th
Zebre v Ospreys, Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi, 14:00  
Benetton v Ulster, Stadio Monigo, 16:00  
Munster v Scarlets, Thomond Park, 17:00  
Dragons v Cheetahs, Rodney Parade, 17:15  
Sunday, March 1st
Southern Kings v Connacht, Nelson Mandela Bay, 15:00

Round 14
Friday, March 20th

Connacht v Scarlets, Sportsground, 19:35  
Ulster v Dragons, Kingspan Stadium, 19:35  
Saturday, March 21st
Cardiff Blues v Zebre, Cardiff Arms Park, 15:00  
Southern Kings v Edinburgh, Nelson Mandela Bay, 15:00  
Cheetahs v Leinster, Toyota Stadium, 17:00
Ospreys  v Glasgow Warriors, Liberty Stadium, 17:15  
Benetton v Munster, Stadio Monigo, 18:15

Round 15
Friday, March 27th

Southern Kings v Leinster, Nelson Mandela Bay, 19:15  
Glasgow Warriors  Ulster, Scotstoun Stadium, 19:35  
Munster v Benetton, Musgrave Park, 19:35  
Saturday, March 28th
Scarlets v Dragons, Parc y Scarlets, 15:00   
Cheetahs v Edinburgh, Toyota Stadium, 17:00  
Cardiff Blues v Ospreys, Cardiff Arms Park, 17:15
Zebre v Connacht, Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi

Round 16
Friday, April 10th

Connacht v Glasgow Warriors, Sportsground, 19:35  
Edinburgh v Benetton, Murrayfield, 19:35  
Saturday, April 11th
Munster v Cardiff Blues, Thomond Park, 15:00  
Southern Kings v Scarlets, Nelson Mandela Bay, 16:00  
Leinster v Zebre, RDS Arena, 17:15  
Cheetahs v Ospreys, Toyota Stadium, 18:15  
Dragons v Ulster, Rodney Parade, 19:35

Round 17
Friday, April 17th
Glasgow Warriors v Cheetahs, Scotstoun Stadium, 19:35  
Benetton v Connacht, Stadio Monigo, 20:05  
Saturday, April 18th
Ospreys v Dragons, 15:00
Zebre v Southern Kings, Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi, 16:00  
Scarlets v Cardiff Blues, 17:15
Leinster v Munster, Aviva Stadium, 17:30  
Ulster v Edinburgh, Kingspan Stadium, 19:45

Round 18
Friday, April 24th 

Benetton v Scarlets, Stadio Monigo, 19:05  
Dragons v Leinster, Rodney Parade, 19:35  
Edinburgh v Ospreys, Murrayfield, 19:35  
Saturday, April 25th
Cheetahs v Zebre, Toyota Stadium, 16:00  
Munster v Glasgow Warriors, Thomond Park, 17:15  
Cardiff Blues v Southern Kings, Cardiff Arms Park, 19:35  
Connacht v Ulster, Sportsground, 19:35

Round 19 
Friday, May 8th 

Cardiff Blues v Connacht, Cardiff Arms Park, 19:35  
Ulster v Glasgow Warriors, Kingspan Stadium, 19:35  
Saturday, May 9th
Cheetahs v Dragons, Toyota Stadium, 14:00  
Southern Kings v Benetton, Nelson Mandela Bay, 16:00  
Ospreys v Zebre, 17:15
Edinburgh v Munster, Murrayfield, 17:30  
Scarlets v Leinster, Parc y Scarlets, 19:45

Round 20
Friday, May 15th

Glasgow Warriors  v Ospreys, Scotstoun Stadium, 19:35  
Leinster v Cardiff Blues, RDS Arena, 19:35  
Saturday, May 16th
Southern Kings v Dragons, Nelson Mandela Bay, 16:00  
Zebre v Ulster, Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi, 16:00  
Scarlets v Munster, Parc y Scarlets, 17:15  
Cheetahs v Benetton, Toyota Stadium, 18:15  
Connacht v Edinburgh, Sportsground, 19:35

Round 21 
Friday, May 29th

Benetton v Zebre, Stadio Monigo  
Dragons v Cardiff Blues, Rodney Parade  
Edinburgh v Glasgow Warriors, Murrayfield  
Southern Kings  v Cheetahs, Nelson Mandela Bay  
Munster v Connacht, Thomond Park  
Ospreys  v Scarlets, Liberty Stadium  
Ulster v Leinster, Kingspan Stadium