The proposed 2020/21 Guinness PRO14 fixtures revealed as one Welsh region face daunting start

The 2019/20 campaign has just finished, but we're just weeks away from beginning another term of rugby

The Dragons are set to be handed the toughest start to the new Guinness PRO14 season imaginable — against champions Leinster in Dublin.

A provisional draft of fixtures sees Dean Ryan’s team begin proceedings on the road against a side who have just swept to the league title after an invincible league campaign: 17 games played, 17 games won.

Nor is it likely to matter too much if the Irish province rest their star players, with their latest success being built on a remarkable squad effort which saw the victories keep coming whoever was wearing blue jerseys.

The opening batch of league matches is expected to be played on the weekend of October 3.

There’s a far more promising prospect for the Dragons in round two, with perennial strugglers Zebre to be faced in Newport.

The Scarlets, Wales’ best-performing team in recent seasons, kick off with a home clash with Munster, followed by a trip to Glasgow.

Cardiff Blues are down to start with an away game against Zebre, backed up by a home encounter against Connacht, while the Ospreys have been pencilled in for a visit to Edinburgh on the first weekend with a date against Ulster in Swansea next up.

There is set to be a virtual two-month break in the competition between early January and early March, with European matches and the early rounds of the Six Nations taking place.

The two sides from South Africa, Cheetahs and Southern Kings, are included in the draft of fixtures from the weekend of March 6, when the pair are scheduled to commence programmes that will see them play eight games apiece.

Kings last month suspended all rugby activity for the rest of 2020 because of financial issues.

Around the same time the PRO14 flagged up that due to ongoing travel restrictions enforced by the South African government against the backdrop of the coronavirus pandemic, league matches involving teams from South Africa were unlikely to take place until 2021.

Back then, the league said via a statement: “PRO14 Rugby remains in discussion with SA Rugby on when South African participation in the league can resume in the new year.

“Work is already underway to concentrate the opening 2020/21 fixtures among the 12 European-based clubs.”

That work is close to being completed, with the new programme seemingly all but ready to be officially released.

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Guinness PRO14 early fixtures (provisional draft)

Weekend of October 3

Connacht v Glasgow Warriors

Zebre v Cardiff Blues

Scarlets v Munster

Leinster v Dragons

Ulster v Benetton

Edinburgh v Ospreys

Weekend of October 10

Cardiff Blues v Connacht

Benetton v Leinster

Munster v Edinburgh

Dragons v Zebre

Glasgow Warriors v Scarlets

Ospreys v Ulster