Friday 10 July 2020 18:42, UK
Harlequins and Sale Sharks will have the honour of kicking off the resumption of Gallagher Premiership Rugby season on Friday August 14.
All attention will turn to the Twickenham Stoop, 159 days after the last Gallagher Premiership Rugby match was staged.
Following the opener in west London, there will be four compelling matches on Saturday at Bath Rugby, Worcester Warriors, Bristol Bears and leaders Exeter Chiefs before the weekend ends at Franklin's Gardens where Northampton Saints face Wasps.
Premiership Rugby can also confirm that the Premiership Rugby Final 2020 will take place on Saturday October 24.
Clubs will have to prepare players for midweek fixtures, with a minimum turnaround of four days, but Premiership chief executive Darren Childs insists all 12 teams have been hugely supportive of plans to ensure the final nine rounds of the 2019/20 season are completed.
"The reaction has been really positive. It was very clear early on we wanted to keep the integrity of competition and, if possible, we could avoid cancelling rounds and awarding points," said Childs.
"There has been a lot of conversations about how we deal with those demands, but every single club is absolutely on board and totally supportive of this schedule and excited we have found a way.
"With just over a month to go, we are delighted to be on track to bring rugby back to fans and see our players out in competition.
"The good news I can bring is that the Gallagher Premiership will be back a little earlier than we previously announced with the first game scheduled on 14 August. I must thank all of our players, clubs, partners, the RFU and RPA who have all supported us on this journey, and we are now cautiously optimistic for a safe return to the season."
"With just over a month to go, we are delighted to be on track to bring rugby back to fans and see our players out in competition.
Before the Premiership was suspended, Sale Sharks were one of the form teams, only losing one out of their last six matches, while Harlequins have lost just once to the Sharks at the Twickenham Stoop in Premiership Rugby since 2008.
"We are delighted to be the first club back hosting a fixture as the Gallagher Premiership recommences. It has, of course, been an unprecedented time - the global impact of COVID-19 has been seismic, said Harlequins Head of Rugby Paul Gustard.
"We are all excited to have the opportunity to represent the Club and look to push on in the second half of the season. It is brilliant that we get to run out at The Stoop once more. We are hugely thankful for the goodwill of our owners, the support of the board and the continued generosity of our amazing supporters.
"We also recognise and are grateful for all the hard work undergone by the game's key stakeholders. They have played significant roles in getting us back out on the field from - the lengthy work of Premiership Rugby, the RFU, BT and Gallagher to namecheck just a few."
Steve Diamond, director of rugby at Sale Sharks, added: "It's fantastic that we have the opportunity to return to play after such a long lay-off, I think everyone across the league is chomping at the bit to get going again. It's been a turbulent period for everyone, but as a club we feel we have come out of the other end of this period stronger than ever.
"We have a top bunch of players here and all the lads have put their hands up and worked hard for the club during our return to play preparations, we are ready and raring to go so I think it will be a great occasion at The Stoop on Friday 14 August."
Friday 14 August
Harlequins vs Sale
Saturday 15 August
Bath vs London Irish
Bristol vs Saracens
Exetervs vs Leicester
Worcester vs Gloucester
Sunday 16 August
Northampton vs Wasps
Friday 21 August
Gloucester vs Bristol
Sale vs Exeter
Wasps vs Worcester
Saturday 22 August
Leicester vs Bath
London Irish vs Northampton
Saracens vs Harlequins
Tuesday 25 August
Bristol vs Exeter
Wasps vs Sale
Wednesday 26 August
Leicester vs London Irish
Northampton vs Bath
Saracens vs Gloucester
Worcester vs Harlequins
Saturday 29 August
Sale vs Bristol
Sunday 30 August
Exeter vs Worcester
Gloucester vs Leicester
Harlequins vs Northampton
London Irish vs Saracens
Monday 31 August
Bath vs Wasps
