Glasgow Warriors fixture is switched to Friday night following pressure from club

Glasgow Warriors have won a minor victory in their bid to have Friday night rugby at Scotstoun.

Glasgow Warriors managing director Al Kellock. Picture: Ross MacDonald/SNS

Their home match against Leinster, originally scheduled for a 3pm kick-off on Saturday, October 23 but will now be played on Friday, October 22 at 7.35pm.

Warriors fans expressed their disappointment when the fixtures list for the first 10 rounds of the United Rugby Championship were released and the club was given no home games on Friday nights, the preferred timeslot for most Glasgow supporters.

Al Kellock, the club’s managing director lobbied the league who have now announced the change to the round five match.

Another Glasgow Warriors home game, against the Dragons in round seven, has also been given a new time slot. The game on Saturday December 4 was originally due to kick off at 5.15pm but will now start at 7.35pm on the same day.

Most followers of the Scotstoun club prefer Friday night games as there tends to be a better atmosphere and it allows them to watch grassroots matches on Saturday afternoons.

Kellock said: “Thank you to the United Rugby Championship, the broadcasters and clubs who have made these fixture changes possible. With these changes we can now offer our supporters a Friday night game in the opening rounds of the league – which will be a welcome addition to our schedule.”

Meanwhile, Glasgow have also found out that they will open their 2021/22 Heineken Champions Cup campaign with an away match against to last season’s runners-up, La Rochelle. The match at the Stade Marcel Deflandre will taken place on the weekend of December 10/11/12.

Danny Wilson’s side will then host Exeter on December 17/18/19 followed by a return match against the Chiefs at Sandy Park on January 14/15/16.

The final group match is against La Rochelle at Scotstoun on the weekend of January 21/22/23.

Exact kick-off times and dates have yet to be confirmed.

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