THE deciding match in this season’s 1872 Cup between Glasgow and Edinburgh will take place at Scotstoun on Friday 7 May.
The three-game series is currently tied at one win each, and the decider will double up as a round-two fixture in the Rainbow Cup. The two Scottish sides will meet again eight days later at BT Murrayfield in a straightforward round-three fixture.
The announcement of the dates and kick-off times of all games in the first three rounds of the Cup is the clearest indication yet from PRO14 that the tournament will take place in some shape or other.
Uncertainty still surrounds the feasibility of matches between the four South African teams and the PRO14 sides from Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales, because UK government Covid protocols have apparently prevented the Bulls, Lions, Sharks and Stormers from basing themselves as planned in Bristol. But as the initial three rounds are mainly derbies, no such travel restrictions come into play for them.
RAINBOW CUP FIXTURES (all times BST):
Round One:
Fri 23 April: Stormers v Sharks 6pm, Ulster v Connacht 8.15pm, Edinburgh v Zebre 8.15pm.
Sat 24: Benetton v Glasgow 1pm, Bulls v Lions 3pm, Ospreys v Cardiff 5.15pm, Leinster v Munster 7.35pm.
Sun 25: Dragons v Scarlets 1pm.
Round Two:
Fri 30: Sharks v Lions 6pm.
Sat 1 May: Stormers v Bulls 4pm.
Fri 7: Zebre v Benetton 6pm, Munster v Ulster 8.15pm, Glasgow v Edinburgh 8.15pm.
Sat 8: Connacht v Leinster 7.35pm, Scarlets v Ospreys 7.35pm.
Sun 9: Cardiff v Dragons 1pm.
Round Three:
Sat 8: Lions v Stormers 3pm, Bulls v Sharks 5.15pm.
Fri 14: Munster v Connacht 6pm, Leinster v Ulster 8.15pm.
Sat 15: Benetton v Zebre 5.15pm, Edinburgh v Glasgow 7.35pm.
Sun 16: Dragons v Ospreys 1pm.
TBC (Sat 15 or Sun 16): Scarlets v Cardiff.
Round Four: weekend of May 29.
Round Five: weekend of June 5. Round Six: weekend of June 12. Final: weekend of June 19.
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