Irish sides set for New Year's Day rest after URC fixture changes

The Irish provinces will have a more forgiving schedule at Christmas this season, after the URC confirmed a number of kick-off changes ahead of the start of the 2024/25 season.

The most notable changes from an Irish perspective come during the Christmas period, which will see all four provinces getting a break on New Year's Day.

Ulster will now host Munster on Friday 20 December, with a 7.35pm start in Belfast, while Leinster will entertain Connacht at the Aviva Stadium at 5.30pm on Saturday, 21 December.

With no games on St Stephen’s Day, Munster will then take on Leinster at Thomond Park on Friday, 27 December at 7.35pm, before Connacht and Ulster complete the Christmas Interpro schedule on Saturday, 28 December, with a 7.35pm start at the Dexcom Stadium.

All four sides will then have a free weekend, before returning to action in the Champions and Challenge Cup on the weekend of 9-11 January.

Last season, the Christmas schedule was most taxing on Leinster and Munster, who played on both St Stephen’s Day and New Years Day, with a six-day turnaround between games.

The BKT United Rugby Championship published a list of fixture amendments this morning, with several involving Irish sides.

Among the games in the first block, Ulster’s Round 2 meeting with the Lions in Johannesburg will now kick off at the earlier time of 11.55am (Irish time) on Saturday 28 September, while the Round 4 meeting of Leinster and Munster on Saturday, 12 October has been confirmed for 5.45pm at Croke Park.

The 2024/25 season kicks off on Friday, 20 September with Leinster away to Edinburgh at 7.35pm.

Munster and Connacht meet in a Thomond Park derby to start their campaigns at 5.30pm on Saturday, 20 September, while Ulster host defending champions Glasgow at