1872 Cup festive double-header is restored to Pro14 calendar

The popular festive double header between Edinburgh Rugby and Glasgow Warriors has been restored for the new campaign.

Henry Pyrgos and Jonny Gray helped Glasgow Warriors win the 1872 Cup last season. Picture: Bill Murray/SNS

Fixtures for the expanded Guinness Pro14 Championship were released yesterday, featuring South African sides Cheetahs and Southern Kings.

The new format will see Edinburgh and Glasgow clash three times. The first two games will decide the 1872 Cup, the annual inter-city competition.

The first meeting will be at BT Murrayfield on Saturday 23 December (5.10pm), with the 1872 Cup second-leg at Scotstoun on Saturday 30 December (3.15pm).

Last season, only one of the games was played during the festive period, a decision that proved unpopular with many supporters. The 1872 Cup matches are usually the best attended club games in Scotland.

The introduction of the conference structure for this year’s competition means the teams will meet again for a third showdown, at BT Murrayfield on the final day of the regular season on the weekend of 27-27 April 2018.

Edinburgh will kick off the new Pro14 season against Benetton away on 1 September. Glasgow’s first game is against Connacht away on 2 September.