WORCESTER Warriors will open their Aviva Premiership campaign against champions Saracens at Twickenham Stadium on Saturday, September 3 (2pm).

Carl Hogg’s Warriors couldn’t have asked for a tougher start to the new season against the star-studded London club who also lifted the European Champions Cup last season.

Warriors played Saracens at Twickenham last November, suffering a comprehensive 48-18 defeat then and lost 43-19 at home to the champions in the final match of last term.

Warriors’ first competitive game on their new artificial surface is a derby against Gloucester at Sixways on Friday, September 9 (7.45pm).

And Hogg will take his new charges to his former club in round 13 when Warriors travel to Gloucester’s Kingsholm headquarters on Saturday, January 7, 2017 (3pm).

One match that catches the eye is Warriors’ trip to newly-promoted Bristol in round 11 which will take place on December 23, 24 or 26.

And the return fixture against Andy Robinson’s Bristol side is in round 17 on Saturday, March 4, 2017 (3pm).

Warriors will travel to West Country rivals Bath in the third round of the competition on Saturday, September 17 (3pm).

Warriors will host Newcastle Falcons at Sixways in round five on Sunday, October 2 (3pm) and end their first block of matches at Leicester Tigers the following Saturday (3pm).

Warriors’ home Midlands derby against Wasps is on Saturday, December 3 (3pm) with the return fixture at the Ricoh Arena on Sunday, March 26, 2017 (2.30pm).

Worcester have an interesting finish to their programme, hosting Bath on Saturday, April 15 (3pm), and travelling to Newcastle in their penultimate fixture on Friday, April 28 (8pm) before winding it up at home to Leicester Tigers on Saturday, May 6.

One fixture last season which caused problems for Warriors’ travelling fans was their Friday night trip to Sale Sharks.

It took some Worcester supporters more than five hours to reach the AJ Bell Stadium due to traffic congestion on the M6.

Warriors will once again be making the Friday trek to Sale, this time on April 7, 2017 (8.15pm).
 

Warriors' Aviva Premiership fixtures for 2016/17 season:
Sat, Sept 3 Saracens (away) (Twickenham Stadium), 2pm.
Fri, Sept 9 Gloucester (home), 7.45pm.
Sat, Sept 17 Bath (away), 3pm.
Sat, Sept 24 Sale Sharks (home), 3pm.
Sun, Oct 2 Newcastle Falcons (home), 3pm.
Sat, Oct 8 Leicester Tigers (away), 3pm.
Sat, Oct 29 Harlequins (away). 3pm.
Fri, Nov 18 Northampton Saints (home), 7.45pm.
Sat, Nov 26 Exeter Chiefs (away), 3pm.
Sat, Dec 3 Wasps (home), 3pm.
Dec 23/24/26 tbc Bristol (away), tbc.
30 Dec/31Dec/1 Jan tbc Harlequins (home), tbc.
Sat, Jan 7 Gloucester (away), 3pm.
Sat, Feb 11 Saracens (home), 3pm.
Sat, Feb 18 Exeter Chiefs (home), 3pm.
Sat, Feb 25 Northampton Saints (away), 3pm.
Sat, March 4 Bristol (home), 3pm.
Sun, March 26 Wasps (away), 2.30pm.
Fri, April 7 Sale Sharks (away), 8.15pm.
Sat, April 15 Bath (home), 3pm.
Fri, April 28 Newcastle Falcons (away), 8pm.
Sat, May 6 Leicester Tigers (home), tbc.