New season.

Premiership Rugby have today confirmed that the new Gallagher Premiership Rugby season will kick off on Friday 18 October at Ashton Gate with Bristol Bears taking on Bath Rugby, live on BT Sport.

The West Country derby is part of a compelling first round of Gallagher Premiership Rugby on the same weekend as the Rugby World Cup quarter-finals in Japan.

Gallagher Premiership Rugby – Round One

Friday 18 October
Bristol Bears v Bath Rugby (7.45pm, BT Sport)

Saturday 19 October
Exeter Chiefs v Harlequins (3pm, BT Sport)
Sale Sharks v Gloucester Rugby (3pm)
Saracens v Northampton Saints (3pm)
Worcester Warriors v Leicester Tigers (3pm)

Sunday 20 October
Wasps v London Irish (3pm, BT Sport)

Bristol Bears Director of Rugby Pat Lam said:

“We couldn’t have asked for a better start than Bath Rugby. When we launched Gallagher Premiership Rugby last year – it was a huge, full house at Ashton Gate with both sets of supporters, the weather was good, we played good rugby and obviously got the win – it was a magical night.

“To be asked to do it again – you’ve got supporters from both sets who were there, there are people who missed out and heard about it, so there’s no doubt they’ll want to be there. There’s a good rivalry, all we’ve got to do is play our part in it and make sure we’re at our best.”

Premiership Rugby will break new ground in the 2018-19 season by staging the first rugby match at the new £1 billion Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, which will also host the Heineken Cup Champions Cup Final in 2021.

The release of the Gallagher Premiership Rugby fixtures today confirms that current holders, Saracens, will play Harlequins on Saturday 28 March at the 62,000-seater state of the art stadium in north London, live on BT Sport.

You can check out the entire fixture list in full here.