COVENTRY Rugby will host six-time Premiership and triple Champions Cup winners Saracens in their first competitive game of the new season.
The current Gallagher Premiership champions will make the trip to Butts Park Arena on Saturday, September 9 in the opening game of the newly launched Premiership Cup.
England’s top 22 clubs will contest the competition, with the early pool stages to take place alongside the World Cup during September and October and the knockout stages to follow later in the season.
Coventry are in Pool A alongside Premiership trio Saracens, Harlequins and Gloucester and Championship pair Nottingham and Hartpury.
Coventry head coach, Alex Rae, said: “It’s really exciting to be talking about a Premiership-Championship crossover cup competition.
“As coaches and players we really want to test ourselves against the best so this is a great opportunity for us and for the fans who will really relish seeing Premiership clubs here at the Butts.
“Starting against Saracens at home is just brilliant. The Premiership champions coming to town will no doubt fill out the BPA and give our lads the chance to test themselves against some of the very best opposition around.
“Gloucester and Harlequins are also huge names and we never have easy games against Hartpury or Nottingham so we’ve got a very tough group but also one which is really exciting to be part of.”
After their opener against Saracens, Coventry travel to Harlequins in week two before then making the trip to Hartpury in week three.
And Coventry host Nottingham in week four before finishing the pool stage away at Gloucester.
All of Coventry’s pool stage games take place on Saturday afternoons with kick-off times spread from 1pm to 4pm.
Coventry’s Premiership Cup Pool Stage Schedule
Saturday, September 9 – Saracens (H) 4pm
Saturday, September 16 – Harlequins (A) 3pm
Saturday, September 23 – Hartpury (A) 2.30pm
Saturday, September 30 – Nottingham (H) 4pm
Saturday, October 7 – Gloucester (A) 1pm
