The fixtures for the new Guinness Premiership season have been released today with a potential clash between the season finale and the opening match of next year's Lions tour averted. Click here for full details!

The fixtures, confirmed today by Premier Rugby, kick off with a some mouth-watering clashes to get the season underway.

Last season's Guinness Premiership semi-finalists Gloucester Rugby and Leicester Tigers meet at Kingsholm three and a half months after Andy Goode ended the cherry and whites' title challenge with his late dropped goal.

A few miles further south, Bristol Rugby begin their third successive Guinness Premiership season with a West Country derby match against European Challenge Cup winners Bath Rugby, and newly promoted Northampton Saints kick off with a home match against European Challenge Cup finalists Worcester Warriors.

In the capital, the four London clubs will be vying for early season bragging rights as the fifth London Double Header takes place at Twickenham, with last season's Heineken Cup semi-finalists London Irish facing the reigning Guinness Premiership Champions London Wasps. Fellow Heineken Cup semi-finalists Saracens will play in the other match against last year's sixth placed team, Harlequins.

In the other round one match, Newcastle Falcons start their first Guinness Premiership season under Steve Bates with a home match against Sale Sharks.

At the other end of the season, the Guinness Premiership Final is confirmed for 16th May 2009. This will avoid any clash with the date of the opening fixture of the British & Irish Lions Tour to South Africa.

Gerald Davies, Tour Manager of the British & Irish Lions, said "I'm delighted that this issue has been resolved well ahead of the next season thanks to many people's efforts over the last few weeks.

"I'd like to express my particular thanks on behalf of the Lions to the English clubs for their gesture in agreeing to stage the Guinness Premiership Final on 16th May, and to the RFU for helping to facilitate this. It will allow selected players to join up with the Lions in good time for the opening match of the tour.

"It has not been easy to resolve but with the help of all parties we have done so. We can now look forward to another fantastic season ahead for the Guinness Premiership and to the added battle for selection to the Lions' tour."

Round 1
Sat 6th Sep 08 14:30 London Irish v London Wasps Twickenham
Sat 6th Sep 08 15:00 Gloucester Rugby v Leicester Tigers Kingsholm
Sat 6th Sep 08 15:00 Northampton Saints v Worcester Warriors Franklin's Gardens
Sat 6th Sep 08 17:00 Saracens v Harlequins Twickenham
Sun 7th Sep 08 15:00 Bristol Rugby v Bath Rugby Memorial Stadium
Sun 7th Sep 08 15:00 Newcastle Falcons v Sale Sharks Kingston Park

Round 3
Fri 19th Sep 08 19:45 Bristol Rugby v Sale Sharks Memorial Stadium
Sat 20th Sep 08 15:00 Gloucester Rugby v Harlequins Kingsholm
Sat 20th Sep 08 15:00 London Irish v Bath Rugby Madejski Stadium
Sat 20th Sep 08 15:00 Northampton Saints v London Wasps Franklin's Gardens
Sat 20th Sep 08 15:00 Worcester Warriors v Leicester Tigers Sixways
Sun 21st Sep 08 15:00 Saracens v Newcastle Falcons Vicarage Road

Round 4
Fri 26th Sep 08 19:45 Leicester Tigers v London Wasps Welford Road
Fri 26th Sep 08 19:45 Sale Sharks v Gloucester Rugby Edgeley Park
Fri 26th Sep 08 20:00 Newcastle Falcons v Bristol Rugby Kingston Park
Sat 27th Sep 08 14:15 Bath Rugby v Worcester Warriors Recreation Ground
Sat 27th Sep 08 15:00 Harlequins v London Irish Twickenham Stoop
Sat 27th Sep 08 15:00 Saracens v Northampton Saints Vicarage Road

Round 6
Fri 14th Nov 08 19:45 Sale Sharks v Worcester Warriors Edgeley Park
Sat 15th Nov 08 13:00 Bath Rugby v Leicester Tigers Recreation Ground
Sun 16th Nov 08 15:00 Bristol Rugby v Northampton Saints Memorial Stadium
Sun 16th Nov 08 15:00 Harlequins v London Wasps Twickenham Stoop
Sun 16th Nov 08 15:00 Newcastle Falcons v London Irish Kingston Park
Sun 16th Nov 08 15:00 Saracens v Gloucester Rugby Vicarage Road

Round 7
Fri 21st Nov 08 20:00 Worcester Warriors v Newcastle Falcons Sixways
Sat 22nd Nov 08 13:00 Northampton Saints v Bath Rugby Franklin's Gardens
Sat 22nd Nov 08 15:00 Leicester Tigers v Harlequins Welford Road
Sat 22nd Nov 08 16:30 Gloucester Rugby v Bristol Rugby Kingsholm
Sun 23rd Nov 08 15:00 London Irish v Saracens Madejski Stadium
Sun 23rd Nov 08 15:00 London Wasps v Sale Sharks Adams Park

Round 9
Sat 20th Dec 08 14:15 Bath Rugby v Sale Sharks Recreation Ground
Sat 20th Dec 08 14:45 Leicester Tigers v Newcastle Falcons Welford Road
Sat 20th Dec 08 15:00 London Irish v Gloucester Rugby Madejski Stadium
Sat 20th Dec 08 15:00 Northampton Saints v Harlequins Franklin's Gardens
Sat 20th Dec 08 15:00 Worcester Warriors v Bristol Rugby Sixways
Sun 21st Dec 08 15:00 London Wasps v Saracens Adams Park

Round 10
Fri 26th Dec 08 15:00 Sale Sharks v London Wasps Edgeley Park
Sat 27th Dec 08 14:15 Bath Rugby v Northampton Saints Recreation Ground
Sat 27th Dec 08 15:00 Bristol Rugby v Gloucester Rugby Memorial Stadium
Sat 27th Dec 08 15:00 Harlequins v Leicester Tigers Twickenham Stoop
Sat 27th Dec 08 15:00 Newcastle Falcons v Worcester Warriors Kingston Park
Sat 27th Dec 08 15:00 Saracens v London Irish Vicarage Road

Round 11
Sat 3rd Jan 09 15:00 Gloucester Rugby v Saracens Kingsholm
Sat 3rd Jan 09 15:00 Leicester Tigers v Bath Rugby Welford Road
Sat 3rd Jan 09 15:00 London Irish v Newcastle Falcons Madejski Stadium
Sat 3rd Jan 09 15:00 Northampton Saints v Bristol Rugby Franklin's Gardens
Sat 3rd Jan 09 15:00 Worcester Warriors v Sale Sharks Sixways
Sun 4th Jan 09 15:00 London Wasps v Harlequins Adams Park

Round 12
Fri 9th Jan 09 19:45 Sale Sharks v London Irish Edgeley Park
Sat 10th Jan 09 14:15 Bath Rugby v London Wasps Recreation Ground
Sat 10th Jan 09 15:00 Harlequins v Worcester Warriors Twickenham Stoop
Sat 10th Jan 09 15:00 Northampton Saints v Leicester Tigers Franklin's Gardens
Sun 11th Jan 09 15:00 Newcastle Falcons v Gloucester Rugby Kingston Park
Sun 11th Jan 09 15:00 Saracens v Bristol Rugby Vicarage Road

Round 13
Fri 13th Feb 09 19:45 Bristol Rugby v Newcastle Falcons Memorial Stadium
Sat 14th Feb 09 14:30 London Irish v Harlequins Madejski Stadium
Sat 14th Feb 09 15:00 Gloucester Rugby v Sale Sharks Kingsholm
Sat 14th Feb 09 15:00 Northampton Saints v Saracens Franklin's Gardens
Sat 14th Feb 09 15:00 Worcester Warriors v Bath Rugby Sixways
Sun 15th Feb 09 15:00 London Wasps v Leicester Tigers Adams Park

Round 14
Fri 20th Feb 09 19:45 Sale Sharks v Bristol Rugby Edgeley Park
Fri 20th Feb 09 20:00 Newcastle Falcons v Saracens Kingston Park
Sat 21st Feb 09 14:15 Bath Rugby v London Irish Recreation Ground
Sat 21st Feb 09 15:00 Harlequins v Gloucester Rugby Twickenham Stoop
Sat 21st Feb 09 15:00 Leicester Tigers v Worcester Warriors Welford Road
Sun 22nd Feb 09 15:00 London Wasps v Northampton Saints Adams Park

Round 15
Sat 28th Feb 09 15:00 Gloucester Rugby v Bath Rugby Kingsholm
Sat 28th Feb 09 15:00 Northampton Saints v Newcastle Falcons Franklin's Gardens
Sat 28th Feb 09 15:00 Worcester Warriors v London Wasps Sixways
Sun 1st Mar 09 15:00 Bristol Rugby v Harlequins Memorial Stadium
Sun 1st Mar 09 15:00 London Irish v Leicester Tigers Madejski Stadium
Sun 1st Mar 09 15:00 Saracens v Sale Sharks Vicarage Road

Round 16
Fri 6th Mar 09 19:45 Sale Sharks v Newcastle Falcons Edgeley Park
Sat 7th Mar 09 14:15 Bath Rugby v Bristol Rugby Recreation Ground
Sat 7th Mar 09 14:45 Leicester Tigers v Gloucester Rugby Welford Road
Sat 7th Mar 09 15:00 Harlequins v Saracens Twickenham Stoop
Sat 7th Mar 09 15:00 Worcester Warriors v Northampton Saints Sixways
Sun 8th Mar 09 15:00 London Wasps v London Irish Adams Park

Round 19
Fri 27th Mar 09 19:45 Sale Sharks v Bath Rugby Edgeley Park
Fri 27th Mar 09 20:00 Newcastle Falcons v Leicester Tigers Kingston Park
Sat 28th Mar 09 15:00 Gloucester Rugby v London Irish Kingsholm
Sat 28th Mar 09 15:00 Harlequins v Northampton Saints Twickenham Stoop
Sun 29th Mar 09 15:00 Bristol Rugby v Worcester Warriors Memorial Stadium
Sun 29th Mar 09 15:00 Saracens v London Wasps Vicarage Road

Round 20
Sat 4th Apr 09 14:15 Bath Rugby v Harlequins Recreation Ground
Sat 4th Apr 09 14:45 Leicester Tigers v Sale Sharks Welford Road
Sat 4th Apr 09 15:00 London Irish v Bristol Rugby Madejski Stadium
Sat 4th Apr 09 15:00 Northampton Saints v Gloucester Rugby Franklin's Gardens
Sat 4th Apr 09 15:00 Worcester Warriors v Saracens Sixways
Sun 5th Apr 09 15:00 London Wasps v Newcastle Falcons Adams Park

GUINNESS PREMIERSHIP SEMI FINALS
Sat 9th May 09

GUINNESS PREMIERSHIP FINAL
Sat 16th May 09