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Champions Scarlets will be the first Welsh team to take on South African opposition in the Guinness PRO14, opening the defence of their title at home to the Southern Kings.

The introduction of the Kings and the Toyota Cheetahs marks the start of a brave new world for the expanded cross-border competition.

So it’s quite fitting the title holders should face one of the two new South African sides on the opening weekend of the season.

That will be at Parc y Scarlets on either September 1st or 2nd, with precise kick-off times yet to be confirmed amid consulation with broadcasters.

All four Welsh regions are at home that first weekend, with Cardiff Blues entertaining Edinburgh, the Ospreys hosting Zebre and the Dragons locking horns with Leinster on the new Rodney Parade pitch.

It’s Ulster who are the opening opponents for the Cheetahs, who will step out at Belfast’s Kingspan Stadium on the evening of Friday, September 1.

Then on the second weekend of the season (Sept 8-9), all four Welsh regions will be away from home.

Wayne Pivac’s Scarlets travel out to Italy to face Zebre, the Ospreys head for Glasgow, the Blues face a Dublin date with Leinster and the Dragons are off north of the border to Edinburgh.

Round Three, on the weekend of September 15-16, sees the Ospreys host last season’s beaten finalists Munster, while the Blues entertain Glasgow and the Dragons lay out the welcome mat for Connacht, with the Scarlets away to Ulster.

The first Welsh team to travel to South Africa will be the Ospreys, who will take on the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein on the weekend of September 29-30.

Full fixtures for the first 13 rounds of the league season will be be announced on Monday.

The 14 teams are divided into two conferences of seven amid the new expanded competition structure.

Sides play teams in their own section home and away, while they have home or away matches versus outfits from the other conference.

There are also two additional rounds of derby matches to ensure there is no reduction in the number of derbies.

That means a total of 21 regular season matches, with the top three teams from each conference progressing to the play-offs, which will comprise quarter-finals, semis and the final.

OPENING GUINNESS PRO14 FIXTURES

September 1-2

Cardiff Blues v Edinburgh

Connacht v Glasgow

Dragons v Leinster

Munster v Treviso

Ospreys v Zebre

Scarlets v Southern Kings

Ulster v Toyota Cheetahs

September 8-9

Connacht v Southern Kings

Edinburgh v Dragons

Glasgow v Ospreys

Leinster v Cardiff Blues

Munster v Toyota Cheetahs

Treviso v Ulster

Zebre v Scarlets

September 15-16

Cardiff Blues v Glasgow

Dragons v Connacht

Edinburgh v Treviso

Ospreys v Munster

Southern Kings v Leinster

Toyota Cheetahs v Zebre

Ulster v Scarlets

THE GUINNESS PRO14 CONFERENCES

Conference A

Munster

Ospreys

Glasgow

Cardiff Blues

Connacht

Zebre

Toyota Cheetahs

Conference B

Leinster

Scarlets

Ulster

Edinburgh

Dragons

Treviso

Southern Kings