Next season’s Guinness Premiership final will be held a fortnight earlier than last season’s final to allow players to travel to South Africa for the start of the Lions tour. The concession by the English clubs was revealed yesterday, when the fixture list for the forthcoming season was released. It begins on the weekend of September 5 to 7, with the last round of regular matches scheduled for April 25 and 26.

The final is on May 16, with the Heineken Cup final a week later, which means that the Lions party can depart together. It had been feared that some players would be forced to miss the opening match of the tour on May 30 against a Highveld XV in Rustenburg.

To accommodate the Lions, the clubs will play a round of midweek matches on October 1. Gerald Davies, the Lions manager, said: “I’m delighted that this issue has been resolved well ahead of the next season, thanks to many people’s efforts. I’d like to express my particular thanks to the English clubs for their gesture. It has not been easy to resolve, but, with the help of all parties, we have done so.”

In the opening round of the Premiership, Northampton are at home to Worcester Warriors, Gloucester and Leicester meet at Kingsholm, Bath play away to Bristol and Newcastle Falcons face Sale Sharks. In the London double-header at Twickenham, London Wasps, the champions, take on London Irish and Saracens play Harlequins.