Munster start defence of URC title with home game against Cell C Sharks

URC announces full fixture list for the 2023-24 season which commences on Saturday, October 21. 

FIXTURE ANNOUNCEMENT: The new United Rugby Championship (URC) announces the full fixture schedule for the 2023/24 campaign. Pic:

Munster will kick off their United Rugby Championship title defence with a home game against South African side Sharks.

The 2023-24 campaign begins on October 21, which is later than usual due to the Rugby World Cup taking place in France.

Games on the opening weekend will not clash with either World Cup semi-final in Paris, with those fixtures scheduled for the evenings of October 20 and 21.

The first URC encounter sees Ulster travelling to Italy for an appointment with Zebre, while Connacht host Ospreys, Dragons entertain Edinburgh, Cardiff are at home to Benetton, Lions tackle Stormers and Glasgow meet Leinster in addition to Munster facing Sharks.

Scarlets are the first side to visit South Africa next term, taking on the Bulls before meeting Stormers six days later.

A total of 144 games will take place across the regular season, with play-offs beginning on June 7 ahead of a June 22 Grand Final.

"The fixture list is the central pillar to the operation of our league and teams, and providing certainty to fans, clubs and broadcasters earlier than ever will have a positive impact," URC chief executive Martin Anayi said.

"To deliver this fixture list 102 days ahead of kick-off is unprecedented for our league and gives us another target to beat again next year."

Introducing the 23/24 #URCFixtures... 🏉🥳

Which clash will you be dreaming of tonight? 💭#BKTURC #URC | #UnitedWeRise

— BKT United Rugby Championship (URC) (@URCOfficial) July 11, 2023

After two years of home or away fixtures against non-Sheild opponents there has been a change in the sequencing. The home and away sequence from this season will be reversed for the 2024-25 campaign to ensure a fair balance of home and away games against the same opposition over the two year cycle.

The new approach is aimed at reducing long haul travel across the league, with the South African teams touring twice instead of three times. This will mean a four match tour to Europe in the early part of the season and a two game tour after the Six Nations (a balance of two three-game tours will be implemented if future calanders allow).

This is the earliest that the fixtures have been released to assist all teams in their cross-hemisphere travel with better access to different seat classes and cost efficiencies related to advance bookings.

The opening weekends of the URC sees games played across Saturday and Sunday afternoons to avoid clashes with the Rugby World Cup fixtures on Friday and Saturday nights.

There is no November Test series break, the URC teams will take on a schedule of 11 consecutive weekends of rugby (including EPCR) so January will see a break of two weekend for teams and to accommodate traditional festive fixturing on December 26th in Ireland and Wales.