RaboDirect PRO12 schedule confirmed

The Scarlets will kick-off their 2012-13 RaboDirect PRO12 season with a huge opening clash against Leinster at Parc y Scarlets.

Following two fixtures on the road in rounds 2 and 3 against Glasgow, at their new home Scotstoun Stadium, and Connacht the Scarlets will welcome regional rivals Ospreys to Parc y Scarlets on 21/22/23 September in the first of the season’s Welsh derbies.

Scarlets supporters will receive an early Christmas present with another Welsh derby before 2012 is out as the West Wales region will welcome Cardiff Blues to Parc y Scarlets on 21/22/23 December.

It’ll be an all Irish affair in the New Year as the Scarlets get set to face Ulster and Leinster away and Connacht and Leinster at home before welcoming Edinburgh Rugby to West Wales for a St David’s Day celebration.

The last game of the season, before the play-off fixtures which are due to be played on 10/11/12 May will see the Scarlets welcome Benetton Treviso to Parc y Scarlets.

Scarlets Head Coach Simon Easterby said it would be a great focus for the region to entertain European champions Leinster at home in the Scarlets first home fixture of the season.

“To have Leinster first up at home is a great way to kick off our campaign. It will be a real focus for us at the start of the season and of course they don’t come much tougher than this- but to open our season in front of what we expect will be a packed home crowd at Parc y Scarlets will be a big boost to the players. This is an exciting opening month for us.

“Of course it doesn’t come much tougher than Leinster in terms of competition and we are fully aware of their quality and the standards they set in both the league and Europe. We’re now playing them four times next season and know them well and we want to pit ourselves against the best.

“Both sides will have international players missing – so it’s pretty much equal terms in that sense and we just hope for a great start to give us momentum. To then go away to Glasgow and then Connacht will also be a big challenge but one we look forward to. Glasgow have recruited well and their results last season in the league showed how far they have progressed, they have some promising players in their squad now. It will also be their first match in a new home, so they’ll be looking to make an impression to home supporters in Scotland.

“It’s probably a good time to play Connacht away in September and let’s hope the local conditions are more favourable! They are a much improved outfit and we know we’ve come unstuck in Connacht before.

“We then meet the Ospreys at home on the weekend of 21st September for a great derby occasion here at Parc y Scarlets with both teams near full strength by this stage – this fixture won’t need much introduction but will obviously be key for every single Scarlet player and supporters and these are the games are the ones where truly measure how far we’ve come. The Ospreys had a successful league campaign and were consistent throughout the season so we know it will be a great contest.”