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Last Update: 2 June, 2008 9:38 AM

04 July 2008
WEST COUNTRY DERBY ON FIRST DAY OF NEW PREMIERSHIP SEASON

West Sport
Author: Gary Baker

BRISTOL will play Bath and Gloucester face Leicester on the opening weekend of the new Guinness Premieship season.

The fixtures, announced on Friday (July 4), will see Bath travelling to the Memorial Stadium probably on Sunday September 7.

And it does not get any easier for the team from The Rec as they will have another West Country derby seven days later at home to Gloucester.

For the Cherry and Whites, it is a brutal start to the campaign, having to face the team which ended their Premiership play-off hopes in May in their first match and then going to Bath where they have never won in the league.

Meanwhile, Mike Ruddock's Worcester Warriors will be the first team to take on Northampton at Franklin's Gardens on the Midlanders' return to the Premiership.

And if that was likely to be tough, the week after, Worcester have another away trip to reigning Premiership champions London Wasps at Adams Park.

The big Boxing Day fixtures later in the year are highlighted by another West Country derby when Bristol play Gloucester at home, while Bath are at The Rec against Northampton and Worcester face the long trek north to play Newcastle at Kingston Park.

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