Magners League Fixtures 2008/09: Fixtures for this season's Magners League were announced today with defending champions Leinster due to open their campaign with a trip to Wales to take on last year's runner-up Cardiff Blues at the Arms Park.
European champions Munster will also be on the road for the opening round of games as they take on Edinburgh at Murrayfield on the weekend of September 5th.
Elsewhere Ulster will host Llanelli Scarlets at Ravenhill, while Connacht take on EDF Anglo-Welsh Cup winners Ospreys at the Sportsground.
As in previous seasons 'local derbies' will be held over the Christmas and New Year period, while the season will conclude the weekend of May 16th, in time to avoid any potential clash of dates with the opening fixture of the British and Irish Lions Tour to South Africa.
The first clash between two Irish provinces will see Leinster take on Munster at the RDS on the weekend of September 26th.
All fixtures are weekend only dates as specific dates, kick-off times and in some cases venues, will be released later in conjunction with broadcast partners and individual teams.
Magners League Fixtures 2008-2009
Round 1
Weekend starting September 5th: Cardiff Blues v Leinster; Connacht v Ospreys; Edinburgh v Munster; Newport Gwent Dragons v Glasgow Warriors; Ulster v Llanelli Scarlets.
Round 5(brought forward).
Tuesday, September 9th: Newport Gwent Dragons v Llanelli Scarlets; Ospreys v Cardiff Blues.
Round 2
Weekend starting September 12th: Cardiff Blues v Ulster; Glasgow Warriors v Ospreys; Leinster v Edinburgh; Llanelli Scarlets v Connacht; Munster v Newport Gwent Dragons.
Round 3
Weekend starting September 19th: Connacht v Glasgow Warriors; Edinburgh v Llanelli Scarlets; Leinster v Ospreys; Munster v Cardiff Blues; Ulster v Newport Gwent Dragons.
Round 4
Weekend staring September 26th: Cardiff Blues v Connacht; Glasgow Warriors v Llanelli Scarlets; Leinster v Munster; Newport Gwent Dragons v Edinburgh; Ospreys v Ulster.
Round 5
Weekend starting Otcober 3rd: Connacht v Leinster; Munster v Glasgow Warriors; Ulster v Edinburgh.
Round 6
Weekend starting October 24th: Connacht v Edinburgh; Glasgow Warriors v Leinster; Ulster v Munster.
Round 7
Weekend starting November 28th: Edinburgh v Ospreys; Glasgow Warriors v Cardiff Blues; Leinster v Newport Gwent Dragons; Munster v Llanelli Scarlets; Ulster v Connacht.
Round 6(Delayed).
Weekend starting December 19th: Llanelli Scarlets v Cardiff Blues; Newport Gwent Dragons v Ospreys.
Round 8
Weekend starting December 26th: Connacht v Munster; Edinburgh v Glasgow Warriors; Newport Gwent Dragons v Cardiff Blues; Ospreys v Llanelli Scarlets; Ulster v Leinster.
Round 9
Weekend starting January 2nd, 2009: Cardiff Blues v Ospreys; Glasgow Warriors v Edinburgh; Leinster v Connacht; Llanelli Scarlets v Newport Gwent Dragons; Munster v Ulster.
Round 10
Weekend starting January 9th: Connacht v Llanelli Scarlets; Edinburgh v Ulster; Glasgow Warriors v Newport Gwent Dragons; Leinster v Cardiff Blues; Ospreys v Munster.
Round 11
Weekend starting February 20th: Cardiff Blues v Glasgow Warriors; Llanelli Scarlets v Leinster; Munster v Edinburgh; Newport Gwent Dragons v Ulster; Ospreys v Connacht.
Round 12
Weekend starting March 6th: Connacht v Cardiff Blues; Llanelli Scarlets v Edinburgh; Newport Gwent Dragons v Munster; Ospreys v Leinster; Ulster v Glasgow Warriors.
Round 13
Weekend starting March 27th: Cardiff Blues v Llanelli Scarlets; Edinburgh v Connacht; Glasgow Warriors v Munster; Leinster v Ulster; Ospreys v Newport Gwent Dragons.
Round 14
Weekend starting April 3rd: Connacht v Newport Gwent Dragons; Edinburgh v Cardiff Blues; Llanelli Scarlets v Glasgow Warriors; Munster v Leinster; Ulster v Ospreys.
Round 15
Weekend starting April 17th: Cardiff Blues v Newport Gwent Dragons; Edinburgh v Leinster; Glasgow Warriors v Ulster; Llanelli Scarlets v Ospreys; Munster v Connacht.
Round 16
Weekend starting April 24th: Leinster v Glasgow Warriors; Llanelli Scarlets v Munster; Newport Gwent Dragons v Connacht; Ospreys v Edinburgh; Ulster v Cardiff Blues.
Round 17
Weekend starting May 8th: Cardiff Blues v Munster; Connacht v Ulster; Edinburgh v Newport Gwent Dragons; Leinster v Llanelli Scarlets; Ospreys v Glasgow Warriors.
Round 18
Weekend starting May 15th: Cardiff Blues v Edinburgh; Glasgow Warriors v Connacht; Llanelli Scarlets v Ulster; Munster v Ospreys; Newport Gwent Dragons v Leinster.
