21/12/2009
Just to throw a few big dates at you for the 2010 early season, and what to watch out for on the rugby front
By Frank Quinn
December 26th weekend features Magners League, Leinster V. Ulster and Munster V. Connacht.
January is going to be another Heineken Month with games on the weekends of the 15th Jan and 22nd Jan for the final pool games.
Watch out for: (See also below)
Leinster; Home to Brive and away to London Irish
Munster; Away to Benetton and home to Northampton
Ulster; Home to Edinburgh and away to Bath
Connacht in the Amlin Cup
The AIB Cup Final is on Jan 30.Cork Con V. Garryowen, At Dubarry Park, Athlone
Feb and March is RBS 6 Nations - “Grand Slam” time.
6th Feb. Ireland V. Italy
13th Feb, France V Ireland
27th Feb, England V. Ireland
13th Mar. Ireland V. Wales
20th Mar. Ireland V. Scotland.
The Irish U20 Six Nations championships will take place on the Friday nights before the senior internationals.
AIB Club Internationals on 26th Feb and 19th March: against England and Scotland
April is for showers and the 10th is a Heineken Cup knockout ¼ final week-end. (Irish Clubs? TBC). AIB League in the final stages with the Magners League final rounds.
The British – Irish Cup for Provincial “ A - shadow teams” from Munster, Leinster and Ulster reaches the semi final stages after 5 rounds. FINAL IN MAY (TBC)
May: 3 Big Finals.
Heineken Cup semi – finals on weekend of the 1st - FINAL in Paris on the 22nd May
AIB League Semi-Finals on the 1st and the FINAL on 15th.(TBC)
29th May – Magners League FINAL (from top 4 semi-finals playoffs).