Leinster, who were the runners-up last time, have been drawn in Pool 2 for the Champions Cup’s preliminary stages next season, where they’ll face off against Clermont Auvergne, La Rochelle, Bristol, Benetton, and Bath. In the draw on Tuesday morning, Munster found themselves in Pool 3 alongside Northampton, Bulls, Stade Francais, Saracens, and Castres. Meanwhile, Ulster is set to compete against teams like Toulouse, Bordeaux-Begles, Sharks, Exeter Chiefs, and Leicester in Pool 1.
Under the tournament format, every club is scheduled to take part in four fixtures against four distinct clubs that compete in different leagues. These matches can be on the home ground or at the opponent’s home.
The Challenge Cup will see Connacht lined up with Cardiff, Cheetahs, Perpignan, Lyon, and Zebre. Additional details about the specific dates, venues, and kickoff hours will be yet to be disclosed.
The Pools are as follows:
Pool 1: Toulouse, Bordeaux-Begles, Sharks, Exeter Chiefs, Leicester, and Ulster.
Pool 2: Clermont Auvergne, La Rochelle, Bristol, Benetton, Bath, and Leinster.
Pool 3: The Northampton, Bulls, Stade Francais, Saracens, Castres, and Munster.
Pool 4: Sale, Racing 92, Glasgow, Stormers, Toulon, and Harlequins.
The rounds will unfold in this order:
Round 1 – December 6-8
Round 2 – December 13-15
Round 3 – January 10-12
Round 4 – January 17-19
Round of 16 – April 4-6
Quarter-finals – April 11-13
Semi-finals – May 2-4
The final is scheduled for Saturday, May 24th at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff. More news to follow.