Tuesday 24 July 2018 15:29, UK
Champions Leinster will begin the new Guinness PRO14 season by tackling Cardiff Blues in the Welsh capital on August 31.
The Arms Park encounter pitches together Leinster as European Champions Cup holders and last season's European Challenge Cup winners the Blues.
Organisers have announced fixtures for the first 17 rounds of league action, which see two seven-team conferences unchanged from last term.
Leinster line up in Conference B along with the likes of last season's Champions Cup semi-finalists the Scarlets, with the Welsh region's opener being a September 1 appointment with Ulster in Belfast.
South African sides the Cheetahs and the Southern Kings, meanwhile, launch their second PRO14 campaigns against Munster and Zebre respectively.
The first weekend's fixtures are completed by Ospreys entertaining Edinburgh, Connacht hosting Glasgow and Italian side Benetton meeting the Dragons in Newport.
The first game in South Africa is on September 15 when the Cheetahs meet Glasgow, while Leinster and Scarlets are set for an early rematch following last season's PRO14 final when they clash in west Wales on September 8.
The top three teams in each conference will progress to play-offs next May, with the two conference winners having byes into the semi-finals, when they also get home advantage.
The final will take place on May 25, with Glasgow's Celtic Park being speculated upon as a possible venue.
PRO14 tournament director David Jordan said: "For the first time ever we have produced fixtures with kick-off times and dates right up to round 17, which we have never been able to do before.
"When you consider the planning required around incoming and outbound South African tours, it's fantastic to have so much of the season mapped out ahead of us at this point."
Guinness PRO14 opening round fixtures
Friday, August 31: Cardiff Blues v Leinster, Ospreys v Edinburgh (both 7.35pm).
Saturday, September 1: Connacht v Glasgow Warriors (3pm), Munster v Cheetahs (5.15pm), Ulster v Scarlets (5.15pm), Dragons v Benetton (7.45pm), Zebre v Southern Kings (7.45pm).
