Premiership Rugby Shield opposition confirmed

Formerly known as the A-League, the Premiership Rugby Shield will consist of two conferences of six teams. Bristol Bears United are drawn in the Southern pool, alongside Bath, Exeter, Gloucester, Harlequins and Saracens.

Academy manager Mike Hall said: “This competition is a fantastic breeding ground for young players and a good opportunity for us to assess the quality of our squad.

“As with previous seasons, we will be using the Shield to give our young players vital experience, as well as providing playing time for guys returning from injury and on the fringes of first team selection.”

R1: Bath (h) - w/c Sept 3^rd 2018

R2: Harlequins (a) - w/c Sept 10^th 2018

R3: Saracens (h) - w/c Sept 24^th 2018

R4: Exeter (a) - w/c October 4^th 2018

R5: Gloucester (a) - w/c December 17^th 2018

R6: Harlequins (h) - w/c December 24^th 2018

R7: Saracens (a) - w/c December 31^st 2018

R8: Gloucester (h) - w/c April 1^st 2019

R9: Exeter (h) - w/c April 8^th 2019

R10: Bath (a) - w/c April 22^nd 2019

SF: w/c May 6^th 2019

F: Monday, May 13^th 2019