2017/2018 English Championship fixtures confirmed

Preparations for the upcoming season in the English Championship are now underway with the 2017/18 fixtures being released.
 
The competition will be played over 22 rounds, beginning the first weekend of September and culminating on the last weekend in April next year.

 
For the first time since its inception, there will be no end-of-season play-offs between the top four teams.
 
From next season, the club that finishes top of the table will be crowned the winner of the Championship and will be promoted into Premiership Rugby the following season - if they satisfy the Minimum Standards Criteria.

 
Despite earning promotion to the Premiership in the 2015/16 play-offs, Bristol Rugby will return to the competition following a 36-21 defeat to Wasps at Ashton Gate in April. They will face debutants Hartpury College in the opening round of next season’s Greene King IPA Championship following Hartpury's promotion from National League One earlier this year.
 

This season’s runners-up, Yorkshire Carnegie will face London Scottish in Richmond in their season opener. Bryan Redpath’s side suffered a 55-48 defeat to London Irish in the second leg of the play-off final last month.
 
Elsewhere in the competition, Jersey Reds will host Doncaster Knights who secured their top-four spot following a narrow 24-20 win when the two sides last met in April, and Ealing Trailfinders will welcome the Cornish Pirates to Richmond.
 

Rotherham Titans will travel to Lady Bay Sports Ground for their season opener against Nottingham while Richmond kick-off their campaign away to Bedford Blues.
 

Round 1 – 1/2/3 Sep-17

London Scottish v Yorkshire Carnegie

Rotherham Titans v Nottingham Rugby

Jersey Reds v Doncaster Knights

Bristol Rugby v Hartpury College

Ealing Trailfinders v Cornish Pirates

Richmond v Bedford Blues

See the full list of fixtures here