NEXT season’s United Rugby Championship fixtures have been released and Ulster Rugby have learned their schedule for the upcoming year.
After a burst of energy late in the season following Richie Murphy’s interim appointment, the Ulstermen’s season is not over as they have sealed a place in this year’s quarter-finals, hoping to do better than last year’s defeat to Connacht at the same stage.
Ulster will start the 2024/25 season off at home against Glasgow Warriors, who they played in a pre-season friendly last autumn at Kingspan Breffni in Cavan, which was the first time they played at a GAA stadium.
The first inter-provincial Irish derby for Ulster will take place at Kingspan Stadium when Connacht make the trip from Galway.
Leinster come to Kingspan Stadium on November 29, followed by two more inter-provincial derbies in the following matchdays.
Dates have not yet been set for the December inter-provincial derbies, with Munster travelling to Belfast before Ulster make their way out west to Connacht either side of Christmas.
Outgoing South African front row Stephen Kitshoff will make a return to Kingspan Stadium on March 25 when the DHL Stormers make the journey to the North.
Ulster finish their season as they start it - against Scottish opposition - as they take on Edinburgh at Hive Stadium in the Scottish capital.
Richie Murphy’s men start their pre-season preparation in a warm-up game against Benetton in September in Belfast before a trip to Devon to take on the Exeter Chiefs on September 14.
Full fixture list
2024
September 21 Glasgow Warriors (H)
September 28 Emirates Lions (A)
October 5 Vodacom Bulls (A)
October 12 Connacht (H)
October 18 Ospreys (H)
October 26 Cardiff (A)
November 29 Leinster (H)
TBC Munster (H) & Connacht (A)
2025
January 26 Zebre Parma (H)
February 15 Benetton (A)
March 1 Scarlets (H)
March 22 Dragons (A)
March 28 DHL Stormers (H)
April 19 Leinster (A)
April 26 Hollywoodbets Sharks (H)
May 9 Munster (A)
May 16 Edinburgh (A)