Connacht to begin season with home tie against Zebre

New Connacht head coach Pat Lam will make his competitive bow with the province in the Sportsground on Friday September 6 when the province takes on Zebre in the opening round of the 2013/14 RaboDirect Pro12 season in what will the first of four meetings between the side – they will also meet in the Heineken Cup.

The fixtures for the new season were announced on Friday, with the first round of games in the league scheduled for the weekend of Friday September 6 to Sunday September 8, and while exact dates have yet to be confirmed, Connacht are expected to face the Italians on the Friday night.

There will be five consecutive weekends of action in the PRO12 league, with Connacht away to Cardiff on the second weekend, followed by home games with Ulster and Ospreys before a second away game of the season, against Benetton Treviso.

The league then takes a two-week break for Heineken Cup action, with Connacht hosting Saracens in the Sportsground in Pool 3 on Friday October 11 (8pm), before travelling to Italy to take on Zebre on Saturday October 19 (1.35pm Irish time), also in the Heineken Cup. Connacht will also take on Toulouse in the Heineken Cup, with the Round 3 game between the sides confirmed for the Stade Ernest Wallon on Sunday December 8, with na 3pm kick-off Irish time.

The traditional derby double-headers over the Christmas period will see Connacht head south to take on Munster on the weekend of Friday December 27 to Sunday December 29, while Lam’s side will host Leinster on the weekend of Friday January 3 to Sunday January 5.

Meanwhile, Connacht Rugby is to host a Golf Classic in association with its official golf partner, the Galway Bay Golf Resort in Rinville, Oranmore, on Wednesday August 21. Entry is open to teams of four (or three with a Connacht player of your choice) and is priced at €375 per team. Places (and players) are extremely limited so early booking is advised.

Food will be served for golfers on the 9th and 18th holes and the presentation of prizes will take place at 9pm that evening in Massimo’s.

“The Golf Classic is a regular favourite among players and fans alike. The past few years have been successful events, but this year we are really looking to up our game in terms of the experience that the teams will have once they arrive at the course,” said Connacht Rugby Business Development Executive Martin Fallon.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Sentinel.