CONNACHT AND MUNSTER will step up their preparations for the new season when they go head-to-head in an inter-provincial friendly at the Sportsground in September, a day before Ireland begin their World Cup campaign in Japan.
The two provinces have announced they will meet in a pre-season fixture in Galway on Saturday 21 September at 3pm, with the Guinness Pro14 season kicking off later than usual because of the global tournament.
Andy Friend’s Connacht, who are preparing for their return to the Heineken Champions Cup next term, returned to pre-season training last week, while Munster have been back at their University of Limerick base for the last fortnight.
It is the first pre-season friendly either province have confirmed, with both due to announce further details of their summer schedule in the coming weeks.
Connacht say tickets for the September friendly will go on sale in the coming days.
With the World Cup taking place in September and October, the 2019/20 Pro14 season is set to kick off a month later than usual, while the Champions Cup pool stages will begin on 15 November.
Leinster have announced they will travel to Ontario next month to face Canada on 24 August as part of their pre-season preparations, while Dan McFarland’s Ulster have yet to finalise their schedule.
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This guy is a future Irish captain and you heard it here first he’s also a future lions captain!
@Kevin O’brien: Coombes looks better and more consistent. He’s not backed by the D4 media though. Doris looks capable of being a very good player. I just got off the Lamour, Ringrose, Ryan hype train.
@Finbarr Ryan: Which D4 media is that? The unnamed D4 media seems to hold plenty of sway amongst turnip munchers. Funny really, when I listen to Irish rugby podcasts, the most prominent voices are those D4 heads Donal Lenihan, Wes Liddy, RoG, Quinlan, Jackman, Wood and O’Driscoll.
@Finbarr Ryan: how many of the 26 tackles and 3 turnovers of doris’s did the Dublin media make on Friday?
@Chris Mc: Please be more specific Chris. This is the D4 media we’re talking about.
@Ricky Wright: thanks ladies. Caught two big one’s
@Finbarr Ryan: He’s definitely not better than Doris. Coombes hasnt even been capped for ireland yet. Doris has 7 caps already.
@Harry O’Callaghan: D4 media kid. If Coombes went to StMicheals he’d be capped and you all know. Be in deianl if you want.
What a tackle!