European champions Leinster will launch the defence of their Heineken Cup title in a group with London Irish, the Scarlets and Brive.
The draw for the pool stages of the 15th Heineken Cup was made in Paris today and it has thrown up some intriguing clashes.
Magners League champions Munster will clash with French champions Perpignan in Pool One, which also features a return to Heineken Cup rugby for Northampton.
Ulster are in Pool Four with Stade Francais, Bath and Edinburgh.
Last year's beaten finalists Leicester have again been drawn to face the Ospreys while Top 14 runners-up Clermont Auvergne and Italian side Viadana complete Pool Three.
But arguably the toughest group of all is Pool Five, which features French giants Toulouse, Heineken Cup semi-finalsts Cardiff Blues, Harlequins and Sale.
Jean Pierre Lux, chairman of European Rugby Cup, said: ‘All the pools look balanced apart from Pool Five - that was always going to be the case because of the second English team.’
The Guinness Premiership has provided seven teams for the 2009-2010 Heineken Cup including two of the six top seeds in Leicester and Ulster are in Pool Four with Stade Francais, Bath and Edinburgh.
Biarritz-bound full-back Iain Balshaw will lock horns with his former employees at Gloucester plus the Newport Gwent Dragons and Glasgow in Pool Two.
Heineken Cup draw for the 2009/2010 competition:
Pool One:
Munster
Perpignan
Northampton
Treviso
Pool Two:
Biarritz
Gloucester
Newport Gwent Dragons
Glasgow
Pool Three:
Leicester
Ospreys
Clermont Auvergne
Viadana
Pool Four:
Bath
Stade Francais
Ulster
Edinburgh
Pool Five:
Toulouse
Cardiff Blues
Sale
Harlequins
Pool Six:
Leinster
London Irish
Scarlets
Brive
