Worcester Warriors can today confirm the club’s 2007/2008 Guinness Premiership schedule that will explode into life at The Rec on Saturday, September 15.
Director of Rugby Ruddock will enjoy his first competitive league game in charge of Warriors when his side lock horns with Bath Rugby with a 2.15pm kick-off – the first fixture in the country to kick-off on the opening weekend.
Warriors have revealed that will play their first two home league fixtures at new-look Sixways at 5pm to avoid clashing with any England games in the Rugby World Cup. Home fixtures in March have also been scheduled to avoid any clash with the Six Nations.
“We strive to create value in our season tickets and have worked hard to try and ensure our supporters can enjoy as much top class rugby as possible in the coming year,” said General Manager Charlie Little.
“We try to play the majority of games on Saturday at three o’clock. We believe it is a good traditional time for rugby at the weekend.
“However, we also appreciate that through the autumn the much anticipated Rugby World Cup is taking place and so we have tried to avoid clashing with any of the major games to give our supporters the opportunity to watch the event.
“Our first home league game with London Wasps is now a five o’clock kick-off and we plan to show the England versus Samoa here at the ground beforehand.
“We have also moved games in February and March to ensure they do not clash with Six Nations action.
“Our home game with Leicester Tigers on March 8 is now a 5pm kick-off to avoid clashing with Scotland versus England at Murrayfield and Ireland against Wales.”
Warriors have two Friday night fixtures against Leeds Carnegie (October 12) and London Irish (February 22) with an 8pm kick-off time.
And the publication of the fixture list has also revealed that the local derby trip to Gloucester on Saturday, September 29 (kick-off 6pm) and the home clash with Sale Sharks (date and kick-off tbc) will be screened live on Sky Sports.
2007/2008 fixture list
Round 1
Saturday, September 15 Bath Rugby v Warriors kick-off 2.15pm
Round 2
Saturday, September 22 Warriors v London Wasps kick-off 5pm
Round 3
Saturday, September 29 Gloucester v Warriors kick-off 6pm LIVE ON SKY
Round 4
Saturday, October 6 Warriors v Saracens kick-off 5pm
Round 5
Friday, October 12 Leeds Carnegie v Warriors kick-off 8pm
Round 6
Saturday, October 20 Leicester Tigers v Warriors kick-off 3pm
Round 7
November 23/24/25 Warriors v Sale Sharks tbc LIVE ON SKY
Round 8
Sunday, December 23 London Irish v Warriors kick-off 3pm
Round 9
Saturday, December 29 Warriors v Harlequins kick-off 3pm
Round 10
Sunday, January 6 Newcastle Falcons v Warriors kick-off 3pm
Round 11
Saturday, January 26 Warriors v Bristol kick-off 3pm
Round 12
Saturday, February 16 Harlequins v Warriors kick-off 3pm
Round 13
Friday, February 22 Warriors v London Irish kick-off 8pm
Round 14
Friday, February 29 Sale Sharks v Warriors kick-off 7.45pm
Round 15
Saturday, March 8 Warriors v Leicester Tigers kick-off 5pm
Round 16
Friday, March 14 Warriors v Leeds Carnegie kick-off 8pm
Round 17
Friday, March 21 Saracens v Warriors kick-off 7.45pm
Round 18
Saturday, March 29 Warriors v Gloucester kick-off 3pm
Round 19
Sunday, April 13 London Wasps v Warriors kick-off 3pm
Round 20
Saturday, April 19 Warriors v Bath Rugby kick-off 3pm
Round 21
Sunday, May 4 Bristol v Warriors kick-off 3pm
Round 22
Saturday, May 10 Warriors v Newcastle Falcons kick-off 3pm