The first home fixture is on the following weekend, a tasty local derby against the Dragons that kicks-off at 5.30 on Saturday 11 September. Then the Blues travel to the Ospreys (Saturday 18 September, 5.30pm) and finish a hectic first month by entertaining Connacht on Friday 24 September at 7.05pm.

There are two free Celtic League weekends during the season for the Blues because of the uneven number of 11 competing teams - week six (8-10 October) and week 17 (18-20 February). Other 'free' weekends in the calendar tie in with the Six Nations' fixtures in February and March.

Welcoming the fixtures, Blues' director of coaching David Young said, "These fixtures are a reminder of just how competitive the Celtic League has become in a short space of time. As if starting away in Dublin was not tough enough we then go straight into local derbies against the Dragons and the Ospreys. These will give an early indication of our progress as a new squad."