By Paul Smith 
A Christmas cracker awaits Coventry Rugby staff, players and supporters with the news that Championship winners Ealing will visit the Butts Park Arena on Saturday December 21st.
The Trailfinders lost only four games on their way to lifting the title, one of which came on a memorable day at the BPA when a brace of tries from skipper Jordon Poole saw Coventry edge a 34-32 verdict.
Cov’s festive season home game in 2023 saw over 5,000 supporters roar the team to victory over Nottingham while also breaking the attendance record at the club’s current home. A year on the arrival of the defending champions seems likely to draw similar numbers to a mouthwatering occasion.
Alex Rae’s team host Cornish Pirates then travel to Doncaster – both of whom seem likely to challenge for the top three – during the last month of a league season that stretches to the end of May.
With Cov’s return clash with Ealing scheduled a fortnight after the Castle Park trip as part of the league’s penultimate weekend, the destiny of this season’s title could well go all the way to the wire.
The blue-and-whites begin their quest to improve on back-to-back third-place finishes with an awkward-looking Friday night trip to London Scottish where last season’s result was determined by the last kick of the match.
This mid-September league opener follows pre-season home games against Birmingham Moseley and newly-promoted Chinnor for which tickets are already available.
Season memberships at the BPA include these two games while home fans get their first taste of league action when old rivals Bedford Blues come to town in round two on Saturday September 28th.
This season’s Championship calendar takes a similar shape to the Premiership’s usual form with Autumn International and Six Nations windows being left clear of league action for the Premiership Rugby Cup for which fixtures are yet to be confirmed.
Last season’s visit of multiple title winners Saracens to the BPA generated a superb atmosphere as Cov edged home in front of a bumper crowd and the success of the competition which was eventually won by Gloucester guarantees more of the same.
With the Championship now back to 12 clubs following the promotion of National One champions Chinnor to fill the void left by last September’s demise of Jersey Reds a stern 22-game test awaits.
Pre-season friendlies at the Butts Park Arena:
August 24th (3pm kick off) Coventry Rugby v Birmingham Moseley
September 13th (7.30pm kick off) Coventry Rugby v Chinnor
Tickets for Coventry’s pre-season friendlies are available via this link: https://www.coventryrugby.co.uk/tickets/
Season memberships are available via this link: https://www.coventryrugby.co.uk/membership/
