Monday matches will be a first for the PRO14
THE Guinness PRO14 is to break new ground by staging a host of matches on Monday night in the new season.
In a radical departure from the norm, no fewer than 14 fixtures have been scheduled for Monday evening amid the opening eight rounds of games.
The first of them will see Cardiff Blues taking on Munster at Limerick’s Thomond Park in round three on October 26.
Then, the following week, both the Blues and the Ospreys will be in action on a Monday evening.
The scheduling is aimed at preventing direct clashes with the extended international calendar.
With rearranged Six Nations matches and the Autumn Nations Cup taking place from October through to early December, the majority of PRO14 fixtures during this period will take place on Sundays and Mondays.
Where possible, Monday night fixtures have been set across two time slots of 6pm and 8.15pm. With no crowds at matches due to the Covid19 pandemic, the tournament organisers see it as a unique opportunity to try something different. PRO14 Rugby chairman Dominic McKay said: “Thanks to the buy-in and support from our teams and broadcasters, we believe we have delivered an innovative solution to the challenges posed to us by the international rugby calendar.
“Playing on Monday nights provides the Guinness PRO14 with a unique platform in the rugby market and enables us to make the most of playing through such a busy time for our sport.”
The new season will get underway on Friday, October 2, with Cardiff Blues involved in the opening fixture.
John Mulvihill’s men travel to Parma to take on Zebre, with the game kicking off at 6pm local time.
Later that night, the Dragons face a daunting start to their campaign, lining up against Leinster in Dublin, with an 8.15pm kick-off.
Then the following afternoon, the Scarlets host Munster, while the Ospreys are away to Edinburgh in the evening.
All PRO14 matches will again be shown live by Premier Sports, while S4C will also be broadcasting a game involving a Welsh team each weekend.