2012/13 PRO12 schedule confirmed

The Ospreys will kick off the defence of their RaboDirect PRO12 crown with a trip to Benetton Treviso on the opening weekend of the new season, before welcoming Heineken Cup finalists Ulster to the Liberty Stadium the following weekend, 7/8/9 September.

The region made history last season when they became the first team ever to claim four Celtic League titles, with the buzz around Steve Tandy's team seeing record season membership sales over the summer, the total now standing at over 8,500 with almost two months to go before Ulster arrive in Ospreylia.

Glasgow are next up for the Ospreys, visiting the Liberty Stadium a week later before the region's first Welsh derby of the new campaign sees them make the short trip to Parc y Scarlets on the weekend of 21/22/23 September. Munster will return to the Liberty at the end of September looking for revenge after their PRO12 semi-final defeat in May, before Round 6, the final round of fixtures before Heineken Cup action takes precedence, sees the Ospreys make a first ever trip to Stadio XXV Aprile in Parma to face PRO12 new boys Zebre.

Other notable dates see European champions Leinster at the Liberty Stadium on 2/3/4 November, while the Ospreys then entertain Cardiff Blues four weeks later.

Christmas fixtures will see the Ospreys travel to Newport Gwent Dragons with the Scarlets coming to the Liberty Stadium.

The return games against the Dragons and the Blues are then penciled in for the last two weekends of March, the region making its first visit to Cardiff Arms Park since December 2008 before they round off the campaign with consecutive away games, against Glasgow at the end of April before a last day cracker at the RDS Showground against Leinster on the first weekend of May.

The play-off semis are scheduled for the weekend of 10/11/12 May, with the final on Saturday 25th May.

For the full 2012/13 PRO12 fixture list as it currently stands please click here.