Super League 2021: Round 1 fixtures confirmed, all six matches live on Sky Sports
The 2021 Super League season will kick off on Friday, March 26, with all six matches across the first round of fixtures being shown live on Sky Sports.
Reigning champions St Helens and newly-promoted Leigh Centurions are both in action on the opening night, while all matches in Round 1 will again be played behind closed doors at Leeds’ Emerald Headingley Stadium.
In total, the revised season will comprise 25 regular-season rounds followed by the play-offs and concluding with the Grand Final on Saturday, October 9, while Magic Weekend has been moved to the first weekend in September.
The 2021 @Betfred #SuperLeague round 1 fixtures ?#BeReady
“With the start of the season a little over a month away, Super League would like to thank all our clubs, Sky Sports, our partners and the RFL for their tireless work in helping us make these announcements today,” Super League chief commercial officer Rhodri Jones said.
“We look forward to continuing to work together throughout the 2021 season to deliver what promises to be another fantastic season.”
St Helens open their bid to make it three Super League titles in a row with the first fixture of the new season against Salford Red Devils – a repeat of last year’s Round 1 fixture which saw Saints triumph 48-8.
Then it is the turn of Leigh in the second game on the Friday, who mark their return to the top-flight with a match against last year’s Grand Final runners-up Wigan Warriors.
Saturday’s double-header kicks off with a Yorkshire derby as Wakefield Trinity take on Leeds Rhinos, followed by French side Catalans Dragons in action against Hull Kingston Rovers.
Ian Watson and Brett Hodgson start their stints as new Huddersfield Giants and Hull FC head coaches respectively when their sides face each other in the first game on Sunday.
The first round of matches is rounded off by game which could see Australian icon Greg Inglis make his Super League debut as his Warrington Wolves side take on Castleford Tigers.
Meanwhile, Super League has confirmed this year’s Magic Weekend at Newcastle’s St James Park has been put back to the weekend of September 4 and 5 due to ongoing Covid-19 restrictions around crowds at sporting events.
The event was originally scheduled for the weekend of May 29 and 30, having been cancelled in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic.
“Confirmation that Dacia Magic Weekend remains an important part of the 2021 season shows our commitment to the event and thanks must go to Newcastle United in supporting us to achieve this,” Jones said.
“Whilst it is frustrating for all involved to not be welcoming fans back into our stadiums for the start of the season, we are hopeful that as the situation in the country continues to improve and the vaccine rollout nears completion, we will be seeing fans enjoying live sport again soon.
“We will continue to work with all of our stakeholders to ensure that we are ready to deliver the return of fans in a safe and secure way.”
Super League 2021 Round 1 fixtures
Friday, March 26: 6pm – St Helens vs Salford Red Devils; 8.15pm – Leigh Centurions vs Wigan Warriors (both Sky Sports Arena and Main Event).
Saturday, March 27: 3pm – Wakefield Trinity vs Leeds Rhinos; 5.15pm – Catalans Dragons vs Hull Kingston Rovers (both Sky Sports Arena and Main Event).
Sunday, March 28: 12.30pm – Hull FC vs Huddersfield Giants; 2.45pm – Castleford Tigers vs Warrington Wolves (both Sky Sports Arena and Mix).
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