Newcastle Falcons will open the new Aviva Premiership season at home to Sale Sharks on Friday September 2, with fixtures for 2016-17 having today been announced.
All dates after round eight are subject to change for TV, while fixtures for the European Challenge Cup and Anglo-Welsh Cup will be announced at a later date.
Following their home opener against Sale the Falcons travel to Bath, while the round-three visit of Leicester Tigers will be shown live on BT Sport onSunday September 18 (3pm). Successive away trips to Gloucester and Worcester are followed by the visit of Bristol on Sunday October 8 before the first fortnight of European action.
During the November internationals the Falcons are home to Exeter, away at Northampton and at home against Harlequins, the festive programme delivering a trip to Saracens before the visit of Jimmy Gopperth’s Wasps. Northern rivalries resume at Sale Sharks on Friday February 10, Newcastle ending the regular season away at Bristol’s Ashton Gate on Saturday May 6.
Director of rugby Dean Richards said: “Fixture release day always brings home the fact that the Aviva Premiership is the toughest club competition in the world.
“Everyone plays everyone twice, so in that sense the order of the games is not uppermost in our thoughts, but an all-northern tie and a home game to start with is something for all of us and our supporters to really look forward to.”
Newcastle’s players are currently in their fourth week of pre-season training, Richards adding: “The lads are working hard ahead of what promises to be an exciting campaign. We have added some great signings to the talent we already have in place, the boys are shaping up well and everyone is looking forward to the games which lie ahead.”
Among the Falcons’ summer influx are Leicester Tigers’ Fijian try machine Vereniki Goneva, Sharks hooker Kyle Cooper, Canada lock Evan Olmstead and USA No 8 David Tameilau, Newcastle’s squad once again centred around homegrown talent.
Outlining Newcastle Falcons’ ongoing preference for predominantly Sunday afternoon home games with a number of Friday nights, managing director Mick Hogan said: “When choosing days we have to consider TV commitments, turn-around times for the team, other events in the area as well as the wishes of supporters.
“There are still five home games to announce in the European Challenge Cup and Anglo-Welsh Cup, and once these are confirmed we will have a full fixture list which supports all the areas we need to consider.”
Season ticket memberships for 2016-17 are available from just £208 for adults, £176 concessions, £70 under-16s and free for under-11s (two per paying adult). To book call 0871 226 6060.
NEWCASTLE FALCONS’ 2016-17 FIXTURES (home games in capitals)
Key:
F = Friendly
AP = Aviva Premiership
ECC = European Challenge Cup
AW = Anglo-Welsh Cup
JULY
SAT JULY 30: SINGHA PREMIERSHIP 7S (3pm at Kingston Park Stadium, live on BT Sport)
AUGUST
F – Sat Aug 6: v Nottingham (3pm at Darlington Mowden Park)
Sun Aug 7: Singha Premiership 7s finals (at Wasps’ Ricoh Arena, live on BT Sport)
F – SAT AUG 13: v DONCASTER KNIGHTS (3pm)
F – Fri Aug 26: away friendly, details TBA shortly
SEPTEMBER
AP – FRI SEP 2 v SALE SHARKS (8pm)
AP – Sat Sep 10 v Bath Rugby (3pm)
AP – SUN SEP 18 v LEICESTER TIGERS (3pm, live on BT Sport)
AP – Sat Sep 24 v Gloucester Rugby (3pm)
OCTOBER
AP – Sun Oct 2 v Worcester Warriors (3pm, live on BT Sport)
AP – SAT OCT 8 v BRISTOL RUGBY (3pm)
ECC – Oct 13-16 v TBA
ECC – Oct 20-23 v TBA
AP – Sun Oct 30 v Wasps (2.30pm)
NOVEMBER
AW – Nov 4-6 v TBA
AW – Nov 11-13 v TBA
FRI NOV 18 v EXETER CHIEFS (8pm)
Sat Nov 26 v Northampton Saints
DECEMBER
AP – SUN DEC 4 v HARLEQUINS (3pm)
ECC – Dec 8-11 v TBA
ECC – Dec 15-18 v TBA
AP – Dec 23/24/26 v Saracens
AP – DEC 30/31/JAN 1 v WASPS
JANUARY
AP – SUN JAN 8 v BATH RUGBY (3pm)
ECC – Jan 12-15 v TBA
ECC – Jan 19-22 v TBA
AW – Jan 27-29 v TBA
FEBRUARY
AW – Feb 3-5 v TBA
AP – Fri Feb 10 v Sale Sharks (8.15pm)
AP – SUN FEB 19 v NORTHAMPTON SAINTS (3pm)
AP – Sat Feb 25 v Exeter Chiefs
MARCH
AP – SUN MAR 5 v SARACENS (3pm)
AW – Mar 10-12 Anglo-Welsh semi-final
AW – Mar 17-19 Anglo-Welsh final
AP – Sat Mar 25 v Harlequins
APRIL
ECC – Mar 30 – Apr 2 European quarter-final
AP – FRI APR 7 v GLOUCESTER RUGBY (8pm)
AP – Sat Apr 15 v Leicester Tigers
ECC – Apr 20-23 European semi-final
AP – FRI APR 28 v WORCESTER WARRIORS
MAY
AP – Sat May 6 v Bristol Rugby (time TBC)
ECC – Fri May 12 European final (BT Murrayfield)
AP – May 19-21 Premiership semi-finals
AP – Sat May 27 Premiership final (Twickenham)