CELTIC LEAGUE FIXTURE DATES AND TV FOR 2005 / 2006

The Scarlets kick-off the new campaign against Edinburgh Gunners in front of the BBC Wales cameras at Stradey Park on Friday 2 September (kick-off 7.10 pm) with reigning champions the Ospreys opening the defence of their title in an S4C Sunday showdown against Leinster at the New Stadium, Swansea (kick-off 5.10pm).

All four Welsh regions will have at least one home televised game in September, the Scarlets staging their clash against Connacht at The Racecourse, Wrexham, on 17 September. Both the all-Welsh midweek contests – the Ospreys against the Dragons on Tuesday 13 September, and the Blues against the Scarlets at the Arms Park the following evening, will be broadcast live.

The television package between BBC Wales, S4C and Setanta means a total of 12 of the 22 matches will be screened in the opening month.

“The Celtic League is growing in stature year on year and the challenge to our regions is to keep the title in Wales for a third year running,” said WRU chief executive Steve Lewis. “It promises to be a hectic start to the season for the four regions with five matches to be played in the opening month, but that will be a great way for the players to warm-up for their European assignments in October and our four match Autumn Test Series in November.

“It is great news that BBC Wales and S4C will be adding to their excellent coverage with extra midweek action and the matches around the Christmas period should be particularly exciting.”

There will be a Christmas and New Year bonanza for fans with six red hot Welsh derbies to savour over the festive period. The action kicks-off on Thursday 22 December when the Ospreys host the Blues (S4C) with the Dragons home to the Scarlets the following night (BBC Wales).

The action resumes on Tuesday 27 December when the Blues welcome arch rivals the Dragons to the Arms Park (kick-off 4.10pm on S4C) with the Ospreys travelling the next day to Llanelli to meet the Scarlets in the traditional west Wales derby (kick-off 2.30pm on BBC Wales).

The regions welcome in the New Year with the Dragons at home to the Ospreys on New Year’s Day (kick-off 3.10pm on BBC Wales), while the Scarlets entertain the Blues at Stradey Park on Monday 2 January (kick-off 4.10pm on S4C).

Fri 02 Sep 19:10 – Scarlets v Edinburgh – Stradey Park BBCw/Set-I
Fri 02 Sep 19:10 – Munster v The Borders – Thomond Park
Fri 02 Sep 19:30 – Glasgow v Dragons – Hughenden
Sat 03 Sep 14:30 – Connacht v Blues – Sportsground
Sun 04 Sep 17:10 – Ospreys v Leinster – Morfa Stadium S4C/Set-I

09/10/11 Sep – Leinster v Glasgow – Donnybrook
Fri 09 Sep 19:10 – Blues v Ulster – Arms Park BBCw/Set-I
Sat 10 Sep 16:00 – Edinburgh v Connacht – Murrayfield Setanta(S)
Sat 10 Sep 18:00 – Munster v Ospreys – Musgrave Park Set-I/S4C
Sun 11 Sep 16:00 – The Borders v Scarlets – Netherdale

Tue 13 Sep 19:35 – Ospreys v Dragons – Morfa Stadium S4C
Wed 14 Sep 19:10 – Blues v Scarlets – Arms Park BBCw

Fri 16 Sep 19:10 – Leinster v Dragons – Donnybrook Set-I/BBCw
Fri 16 Sep 19:30 – Ulster v Edinburgh – Ravenhill
Sat 17 Sep 17:30 – Scarlets v Connacht – Racecourse Ground S4C/Set-I
Sat 17 Sep 19:30 – Glasgow v Munster – Hughenden Setanta(S)
Sun 18 Sep 16:00 – The Borders v Ospreys – Netherdale

Fri 23 Sep 19:10 – Munster v Scarlets – Thomond Park Set-I/BBCw
Sat 24 Sep 14:30 – Connacht v The Borders – Sportsground
Sat 24 Sep 17:30 – Dragons v Ulster – Rodney Parade S4C/Set-I
Sat 24 Sep 19:30 – Glasgow v Blues Hughenden
Sun 25 Sep 15:00 – Edinburgh v Ospreys – Murrayfield

Sat 01 Oct 14:00 – Connacht v Munster – Sportsground Setanta(I)
Sat 01 Oct 17:30 – Leinster v Ulster – Donnybrook Setanta(I)
Sun 02 Oct 15:00 – Edinburgh v Glasgow – Murrayfield

Fri 07 Oct 19:10 – Ulster v Connacht – Ravenhill Setanta(I)
Sun 09 Oct 15:00 – Munster v Leinster – Musgrave Park Setanta(I)
Sun 09 Oct 16:00 – The Borders v Edinburgh – Netherdale

Fri 14 Oct 19:10 – Ospreys v Connacht – Morfa Stadium BBCw/Set-I
Fri 14 Oct 19:30 – Edinburgh v Dragons – Murrayfield
Sat 15 Oct 17:30 – Leinster v Blues – Donnybrook Set-I/S4C
Sat 15 Oct 19:30 – The Borders v Ulster Netherdale Setanta(S)
Sun 16 Oct 16:10 – Scarlets v Glasgow Stradey Park S4C

04/05/06 Nov – Blues v Munster – Arms Park
04/05/06 Nov – Leinster v Edinburgh – Donnybrook
Fri 04 Nov 19:10 – Ulster v Ospreys – Ravenhill Set-I/BBCw
Fri 04 Nov 19:30 – Glasgow v Connacht – Hughenden
Sun 06 Nov 16:10 – Dragons v The Borders – Rodney Parade S4C/SetI&S

Sat 03 Dec 14:00 – Connacht v Leinster – Sportsground Setanta(I)
Sat 03 Dec 19:10 – Munster v Ulster – Musgrave Park Setanta(I)
Sun 04 Dec 15:00 – Glasgow v Edinburgh – Hughenden

Thu 22 Dec 19:10 – Munster v Connacht – Musgrave Park Setanta(I)
Thu 22 Dec 19:35 – Ospreys v Blues – Morfa Stadium S4C
Fri 23 Dec 19:10 – Dragons v Scarlets – Rodney Parade BBCw/Set-I
Fri 23 Dec 19:30 – Ulster v Leinster – Ravenhill

Mon 26 Dec 15:00 – Edinburgh v The Borders – Murrayfield
Tue 27 Dec 16:10 – Blues v Dragons – Arms Park S4C/Set-I
Wed 28 Dec 14:30 – Scarlets v Ospreys – Stradey Park BBCw/Set-I

Sat 31 Dec 14:00 – Connacht v Ulster – Sportsground
Sat 31 Dec 17:30 – Leinster v Munster – Donnybrook Setanta(I)
Sun 01 Jan 15:10 – Dragons v Ospreys – Rodney Parade BBCw
Sun 01 Jan 16:00 – The Borders v Glasgow – Netherdale
Mon 02 Jan 16:10 – Scarlets v Blues – Stradey Park S4C

* SOME FIXTURES LIABLE TO CHANGE