The team’s three home fixtures will kick-off at BT Sport Cardiff Arms Park, the home of Cardiff RFC, against English Championship side London Scottish on 14-16 October. Sardis Road, home of Pontypridd RFC, will then be used to welcome Ulster A in round four.
The Wern, the newly developed ground that is home to Premiership new boys Merthyr RFC, will stage the round five clash with Jersey. It means all three games will be played on 4G pitches following the switch to synthetic grounds at Merthyr and Pontypridd.
“It has been a goal of ours for some time to take games into the region and this gives us the perfect opportunity. We are naturally delighted to be able to stage our B&I Cup games at each of the Principality Premiership clubs in our region,” said Cardiff Blues CEO, Richard Holland.
“There is now great facility in place at The Wern in Merthyr, which is at the north of our region, and it is great that Pontypridd RFC have also accepted our invitation to host a game at Sardis Road, both on their new artificial surfaces.
“It’s brilliant that we can engage with the wider region and as all three clubs will provide the players to the Premiership Select XV, it’s great that they can run out at the grounds of the clubs they represent. We hope the clubs and their supporters will really get behind the fixtures and make this venture a success.”
The new pitch at Sardis Road is due for completion this month, while Merthyr have already beaten Cardiff on their home track after an explosive start to their Principality Premiership campaign with successive wins over Cross Keys and the Blue & Blacks.
“We are thrilled to host the Blues Premiership Select XV at our wonderful new stadium and look forward to welcoming Jersey Reds to Merthyr. We’ll be supporting the Premiership Select team with Merthyr players and it is fantastic they will be running out at The Wern,” said Sir Stan Thomas, chairman of Merthyr RFC.
Pontypridd team manager Richard Langmead added: “It’s great to have top quality rugby back at Sardis Road and to welcome Ulster A in showcase on our new pitch. It’s good to support Cardiff Blues in this venture and hopefully the supporters will embrace this opportunity.”
The Dragons Premiership Select XV will face three English Championship clubs – Ealing Trailfinders, who beat them in pre-season and are captained by a former Dragons player, Alex Walker; Yorkshire Carnegie, who were beaten 33-10 in last season’s final by London Welsh, and Bedford Blues.
The Ospreys will face inaugural winners, and last season’s semi-finalists, Cornish Pirates, Connacht Eagles and London Irish. The Scarlets are in the same pool as Nottingham, Richmond and 2014 champions, Leinster A.
The reigning champions, London Welsh, will kick-off their defence of the title in Ireland against Munster A. They also meet Rotherham Titans and Doncaster Knights.
British & Irish Cup Pool Fixtures 2016/17
Cardiff Blues Premiership Select XV
14-16 October: v London Scottish (BT Sport Cardiff Arms Park)
21 October: v Jersey Reds (Away TBC, 19.45)
9-11 October: v Ulster A (Away TBC)
16-18 December: v Ulster A (Sardis Road, Pontypridd)
13-15 January: v Jersey Reds (The Wern, Merthyr)
21 January: v London Scottish (Away TBC, 14.00)
London Welsh
15 October: v Munster A (Midleton RFC, 14.30)
22 October: v Rotherham Titans (Kassam Stadium, Oxford, 14.00)
10 December: v Doncaster Knights (Kassam Stadium, Oxford, 14.00)
17 December: v Doncaster Knights (Castle Park, 14.30)
14 January: v Rotherham Titans (Clifton Lane, 14.00)
21 January: v Munster A (Kassam Stadium, Oxford, 14.00)
NG Dragons Premiership Select XV
14-16 October: v Bedford Blues (Goldington Road)
22 October: v Ealing Trailfinders (Home TBC, 15.00)
11 December: v Yorkshire Carnegie (Away TBC, 14.30)
15-18 December: v Yorkshire Carnegie (Home TBC)
14 January: v Ealing Trailfinders (Trailfinders Sports Club, 15.00)
21 January: v Bedford Blues (Home TBC, 14.00)
Ospreys Premiership Select XV
14-16 October: v London Irish (Home TBC)
21-23 October: v Cornish Pirates (The Mennaye)
10 December: v Connacht Eagles (The Sportsground, 14.30)
17 December: v Connacht Eagles (Home TBC, 14.30)
13-16 January: v Cornish Pirates (Home TBC)
21 January: v London Irish (Madejski Stadium, 16.00)
Scarlets Premiership Select XV
16 October: v Nottingham (Lady Bay Sports Ground, 15.00)
21-23 October: v Richmond (Home TBC)
10 December: v Leinster A (Donnybrook, 14.30)
16-18 December: v Leinster A (Home TBC)
14 January: v Richmond (Richmond Athletic Ground, 15.00)
21 January: v Nottingham (Home TBC, 14.00)
