Bath v Leicester moved off Boxing Day over travel shutdown
Bath's Boxing Day clash with Leicester Tigers has been pushed back a day to Sunday, 27 December. The Round 8 Prem Rugby fixture will now kick off at 17:30 GMT at the Recreation Ground in Bath. It had been due to start at 15:05 GMT on Boxing Day, 26 December, according to BBC Sport.
Prem Rugby is England's top division for men's club rugby union, and Round 8 means the eighth weekend of the league season. The Rec, as Bath's ground is known, sits in the city centre beside the River Avon, so public transport matters. No rail services and no Park and Ride buses will run in Bath on Boxing Day.
The change comes down to travel. That combination would have left thousands of supporters with few ways in and out of the city. Bath confirmed the switch in a club statement titled 'Festive Fixture Scheduling Change' Bath Rugby.
For fans, this means a simpler trip. Sunday services should be running, and an evening kick-off gives visiting Leicester supporters more of the day to travel to the West Country. It also eases pressure on staff, stewards and local roads.
The switch was confirmed on 29 September, almost three months before the game. That gives both clubs time to tell ticket holders and reshape travel plans.
What makes this stand out is how tight the festive schedule remains. Christmas rugby is a tradition in England, with families often filling grounds between Christmas and New Year. The calendar is still packed.
Bristol open the Boxing Day action at home to Newcastle Red Bulls at 15:00 GMT. Gloucester then travel north to face Sale at 17:30 GMT. That leaves Bath and Leicester out of the Boxing Day slate.
Sunday, 27 December is now a double-header. Exeter host Saracens at Sandy Park at 15:05 GMT, then Bath against Leicester follows at 17:30 GMT. The round ends on Monday, 28 December, when Harlequins welcome Northampton Saints.
No extra detail has been given about tickets. Supporters who bought for Boxing Day are likely to have their tickets carried over, but that is speculation until the clubs confirm. For now, the message is simple. Check with the clubs before travelling and mark Sunday, not Saturday.
