The RaboDirect Pro 12 Fixtures are out and the Blues start the season with a tricky trip up to Connacht, before a home match against Edinburgh followed by the first Welsh derby...
Here’s how the season pans out for the Blues (all dates and KO times to be confirmed)
August – All Pre-Season Friendly Matches 4th - Toyota Free State Cheetahs (a) 11th – Worcester Warriors (h) 18th - Gloucester (a) 24th – Bath (a)
August/September Connacht (a)
September Edinburgh (h) Dragons (a) Treviso (h) Ulster (h)
Shame home to Dragons again over Christmas. Ospreys away same weekend of Wales v Australia couldn't make it up in the inept organising of the fixtures.
home to Ospreys over Easter weekend and last home game agains Scarlets should be good.
Rust Edinburgh first home game....what a surprise.
Will be a bit of added spice this year s'posde with the return of Richie and Yapp.
I'd imagine our new front row will be looking forward to playing against Yapp!
Does seem a bit odd that we play the same teams at the same time of the year, every year.
Got to be fair though I am getting a little excited at the prospect of the new season. Have seen Warbs walking around town twice over the past two days, looks fit with no bumps bruises limps strapping etc...
Does anybody know if everybody will be available for selection in the early rounds of the Rabo or is it like other years where internationals seem to turn up just in time for the start of the HC? If it is the latter then Connacht will surely catch us cold...I am also desperately worried about our centres with Jamie expected to time his comeback perfectly for Team Wales in the autumn internationals. Given the current availability, please can somebody re-assure me that our first choice centre partnership next season will not be Hewitt and Evans...please...
Phil Davies interview in today's Fail suggests Jamie will be back from injury during September, October at the latest but will feature prior to the AIs.
With regards to the rest, I imagine it only depends upon injury as they will have had a decent break between the last Wallaby test and kick off of the Pro 12. Many of the internationals have gone from September 2010 through to the Australia tests with little or no break unless injured.
Player welfare and season structure are big concerns for me, thy can't play as many games as Wendyball.
I imagine that Warbs and Halfpenny will be given a fair break, and Roberts is injured. Cuthbert, Williams and Davies will be back sooner as they haven't played as much since the WC.
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