The Blue, Black and White will travel to Ashton Gate following the opening four rounds of the Premiership Rugby Cup, the dates of which will be confirmed next Wednesday (17^th July).

Bath Rugby will then welcome Exeter Chiefs to the Rec in the first home game of the competition on Friday 25^th October (19:45). The fixtures have been confirmed until the end of Round 8 which concludes on Saturday 4^th January 2020 away to Gloucester Rugby. All subsequent fixtures are subject to change, with confirmation of dates and times expected approximately 12 weeks before the fixture takes place.

Director of Rugby, Stuart Hooper, said: “To start the season with a West Country derby against Bristol Bears presents a real opportunity for us as a group to face one of our biggest rivals. It will also provide us with the platform to put our pre-season work into practice. That’s an incredibly exciting prospect for us.

“The 2019/20 season is critically important for both Club and Country rugby. From a Club perspective, opening the season with our World Cup contingent away on duty will further drive that competition in the squad. Whilst our international players will be vying for their starting position, the squad we have been working with here for three months in pre-season will all be pushing for their chance to pull on the Bath shirt and set us off in the (Gallagher) Premiership with some big performances.

“We are working to really build something here at Bath, growing our group of players and developing the game that we want to play every day. We are maximising every moment of the schedule and will continue to do so from now until the start of the campaign. There is huge excitement here especially because of the potential and improvements we are already seeing within our group.”

Of the first eight rounds, Bath Rugby will host two home games on a Friday evening. Whilst not directly within the Club’s control, the clear and stated preference for all games is Saturday afternoons.

The Club will continue to work closely with Premiership Rugby, EPCR and BT Sport to ensure it does not bear an unfair proportion of non-Saturday fixtures. When fixtures are moved from a Saturday, the Club’s preference is to move one in three games to a Sunday and two in three games to a Friday following close consultation with supporters and local residents.

In a typical season, an average of six games will be moved from a Saturday. Two of those changes are in Rounds 1-8 Exeter and Saracens, both of which are televised fixtures on BT Sport.

2019/20 GALLAGHER PREMIERSHIP ROUNDS 1-8

Friday 18^th October – Bristol Bears v Bath Rugby (19:45)

Friday 25^th October – Bath Rugby v Exeter Chiefs (19:45)

Saturday 2^nd November – Wasps v Bath Rugby (15:00)

Saturday 9^th November – Bath Rugby v Northampton Saints (15:00)

Friday 29^th November – Bath Rugby v Saracens (19:45)

Sunday 22nd December – London Irish v Bath Rugby (15:00)

Saturday 28^th December – Bath Rugby v Sale Sharks (15:00)

Saturday 4^th January – Gloucester Rugby v Bath Rugby (15:00)

For the latest ticketing updates, please sign-up here. Hospitality packages for all home matches will go on sale on Monday 15th July. For more information, click here or call the Hospitality Team on 01225 325 200 (option 1).

Premium Memberships are now on sale for just £50. For a full list of benefits, head to the following page.

Bath Rugby to kick-off Gallagher Premiership season away at Bristol Bears

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