The 2019-20 Premiership season will start with Bristol hosting West Country rivals Bath on Friday, 18 October.

Champions Saracens will open the defence of their title the following day at home to Northampton.

Last season's runners-up Exeter welcome Harlequins to Sandy Park, with promoted London Irish at Wasps on the Sunday.

The campaign gets under way about six weeks later than usual because of the Rugby World Cup, which takes place in Japan from 20 September to 2 November.

It will be the second Premiership season running to start at Ashton Gate, with Bristol beating Bath in last year's curtain-raiser after their promotion back to the top flight.

Opening Premiership fixtures

Key dates

While there are no scheduled matches at Twickenham for now, Saracens will take on London rivals Harlequins at Tottenham Hotspur's new stadium during the round of fixtures scheduled for 27-29 March.

It is part of an agreement announced in March, which will see the English and European champions play an annual showpiece game at the 62,062-capacity ground.

The first of the heavyweight Premiership derbies sees Leicester go to Northampton in the fifth round of fixtures, on 30 November.

Worcester head to Kingsholm to face Gloucester in the first Severn derby of the season on 20 December, with Exeter hosting Saracens on 29 December in a repeat of last season's final.

Twickenham will host the Premiership final on Saturday, 20 June - almost three weeks later than in 2018-19.