London Irish first up for Munster

Munster will begin their Heineken Cup campaign with a trip to London Irish in October, with Leinster starting at home to Racing-Metro 92.

Ulster will be the first Irish side in action as they face Aironi Rugby on the opening Friday night.

The fixtures are reversed for the final round of matches on 21/22/23 January.

Munster boss Tony McGahan is looking forward to the challenging group.

'First and foremost we recognise the quality of the opposition we face in our Pool.

'There are no weak sides, each of them I believe are well capable of winning the competition, certainly all well capable of getting results on the road.

'It's a marvellous competition, easily the most competitive cup tournament in world club rugby.'

The Munster boss added: 'Toulon represent a little bit of an unknown quantity in the respect that we've never played them before. We've seen plenty of them and it's probably better to get them in Limerick first up.'

'They won there last time and will travel in confidence. In reality however, any one of the four sides in this group is capable of winning the competition.'

HEINEKEN CUP FIXTURE LIST - ROUND 1

FRIDAY 8 OCTOBER, 2010
Pool 1 Northampton Saints v Castres Olympique
Pool 4 Ulster Rugby v Aironi Rugby
Pool 6 Glasgow Warriors v Newport Gwent Dragons

SATURDAY 9 OCTOBER, 2010
Pool 1 Cardiff Blues v Edinburgh
Pool 2 Leinster v Racing-Metro 92
Pool 2 ASM Clermont Auvergne v Saracens
Pool 3 Toulon v Ospreys
Pool 3 London Irish v Munster
Pool 5 Benetton Treviso v Leicester Tigers
Pool 5 Scarlets v Perpignan

SUNDAY 10 OCTOBER, 2010
Pool 4 Bath Rugby v Biarritz Olympique
Pool 6 Toulouse v London Wasps

ROUND 2

FRIDAY 15 OCTOBER, 2010
Pool 1 Castres Olympique v Cardiff Blues
Pool 3 Ospreys v London Irish

SATURDAY 16 OCTOBER, 2010
Pool 1 Edinburgh v Northampton Saints
Pool 2 Racing-Metro 92 v ASM Clermont Auvergne
Pool 2 Saracens v Leinster
Pool 3 Munster v Toulon
Pool 4 Aironi Rugby v Bath Rugby
Pool 6 Newport Gwent Dragons v Toulouse

SUNDAY 17 OCTOBER, 2010
Pool 4 Biarritz Olympique v Ulster Rugby
Pool 5 Leicester Tigers v Scarlets
Pool 5 Perpignan v Benetton Treviso
Pool 6 London Wasps v Glasgow Warriors

ROUND 3

FRIDAY 10 DECEMBER, 2010
Pool 6 Glasgow Warriors v Toulouse

SATURDAY 11 DECEMBER, 2010
Pool 1 Northampton Saints v Cardiff Blues
Pool 1 Castres Olympique v Edinburgh
Pool 2 Saracens v Racing-Metro 92
Pool 4 Ulster Rugby v Bath Rugby
Pool 4 Aironi Rugby v Biarritz Olympique
Pool 5 Perpignan v Leicester Tigers
Pool 5 Scarlets v Benetton Treviso

SUNDAY 12 DECEMBER, 2010
Pool 2 ASM Clermont Auvergne v Leinster
Pool 3 London Irish v Toulon
Pool 3 Munster v Ospreys
Pool 6 Newport Gwent Dragons v London Wasps

ROUND 4

FRIDAY 17 DECEMBER, 2010
Pool 2 Racing-Metro 92 v Saracens
Pool 4 Biarritz Olympique v Aironi Rugby

SATURDAY 18 DECEMBER, 2010
Pool 2 Leinster v ASM Clermont Auvergne
Pool 3 Toulon v London Irish
Pool 3 Ospreys v Munster
Pool 4 Bath Rugby v Ulster Rugby
Pool 5 Benetton Treviso v Scarlets
Pool 6 Toulouse v Glasgow Warriors

SUNDAY 19 DECEMBER, 2010
Pool 1 Cardiff Blues v Northampton Saints
Pool 1 Edinburgh v Castres Olympique
Pool 5 Leicester Tigers v Perpignan
Pool 6 London Wasps v Newport Gwent Dragons

ROUND 5

14 / 15 / 16 JANUARY, 2011
Pool 1 Cardiff Blues v Castres Olympique
Pool 1 Northampton Saints v Edinburgh
Pool 2 Leinster v Saracens
Pool 2 ASM Clermont Auvergne v Racing-Metro 92
Pool 3 Toulon v Munster
Pool 3 London Irish v Ospreys
Pool 4 Bath Rugby v Aironi Rugby
Pool 4 Ulster Rugby v Biarritz Olympique
Pool 5 Benetton Treviso v Perpignan
Pool 5 Scarlets v Leicester Tigers
Pool 6 Toulouse v Newport Gwent Dragons
Pool 6 Glasgow Warriors v London Wasps

ROUND 6

21 / 22 / 23 JANUARY, 2011
Pool 1 Castres Olympique v Northampton Saints
Pool 1 Edinburgh v Cardiff Blues
Pool 2 Saracens v ASM Clermont Auvergne
Pool 2 Racing-Metro 92 v Leinster
Pool 3 Munster v London Irish
Pool 3 Ospreys v Toulon
Pool 4 Aironi Rugby v Ulster Rugby
Pool 4 Biarritz Olympique v Bath Rugby
Pool 5 Perpignan v Scarlets
Pool 5 Leicester Tigers v Benetton Treviso
Pool 6 Newport Gwent Dragons v Glasgow Warriors
Pool 6 London Wasps v Toulouse

QUARTER-FINALS
8 / 9 / 10 APRIL, 2011

SEMI-FINALS
30 APRIL / 1 MAY, 2011

HEINEKEN CUP FINAL
21 / 22 MAY, 2011 - Millennium, Cardiff