The Rugby Premier League kicks off on Thursday: why the match was postponed and who is the favorite.

According to The Sun: The Gallagher Premier Rugby returns to action THIS week, but the schedule will look different!

Sale Sharks and Gloucester will kick off the restarted season on Thursday.

This game will be the first when Gallagher Premier Rugby is held on a Thursday evening.

As title defenders, Bath are strengthening ahead of the new season, while Newcastle has significantly changed after the Red Bull transfer.

The 2025/26 season will also mark the triumphant return of Owen Farrell to Saracens after his experience with Racing 92 and a successful summer with the British & Irish Lions.

SunSport reveals details on why the Sale vs Gloucester match will take place on Thursday evening.

Why is the Sale vs Gloucester match on Thursday evening?

The Gloucester vs Sale Sharks match has been moved to Thursday to avoid clashes with the Women’s World Cup in Rugby, which will take place this weekend.

The opening game of the new season will occur on Thursday evening, while the champions Bath will meet Harlequins, and Newcastle Red Bulls are set to face Saracens on Friday.

The final of the Women’s World Cup in Rugby, where England will meet Canada in Twickenham, is scheduled for Saturday.

Following this, matches will take place where Northampton Saints will host Exeter Chiefs, and Bristol Bears, featuring Louis Rees-Zammit, will meet Leicester Tigers.

With the new schedule format, Premier Rugby is trying to attract more attention to the new season, avoiding conflicts with other major events in the rugby world. The focus is on matches that could become standout events for fans of both teams. This is an important step for competition and the development of rugby in Ukraine and globally.