The draws for the pool stages of the 2015/16 European Rugby Champions Cup and Challenge Cup have been made in Neuchâtel, Switzerland, today.
Leinster and Ulster were handed particularly challenging assignments in the Champions Cup
Leinster face reigning champions Toulon, who this weekend signed Ireland captain Paul O'Connell, English Premiership runners-up Bath and Wasps in Pool 5.
9 - The teams in Pool 5 have won nine @ChampionsCup titles between them, one fewer than the rest of the Pools combined. Esteemed.
— OptaJonny (@OptaJonny) June 17, 2015Ulster will do battle with Premiership champions Saracens, four-time winners Toulouse and French side Oyonnax in Pool 1.
Pro12 runners-up Munster take on Top 14 champions Stade Francais, Leicester and Treviso in Pool 4.
The Reds ended up as tier 2 seeds after Bath and Clermont were drawn for the two spots available to the three teams in Tier 1.
So here is the #ChallengeCup draw in full - what match-ups are you looking forward to? pic.twitter.com/O1wIgYEc9O
— Challenge Cup (@ERChallengeCup) June 17, 2015Connacht have been drawn in Pool 1 of the Challenge Cup with Brive, Newcastle and Russian newcomers Enisei-STM.
The finals of both tournaments will be played in May 2016 at the 59,000-capacity Grand Stade de Lyon, which is set for completion early next year.
The 2017 finals will be held in Edinburgh, with the Champions Cup decider venue confirmed as Murrayfield.
European Rugby Champions Cup draw:
POOL ONE: Saracens, Ulster, Toulouse, Oyonnax.
POOL TWO: Clermont Auvergne, Ospreys, Exeter, Bordeaux.
POOL THREE: Glasgow, Northampton, Racing 92, Scarlets.
POOL FOUR: Stade Francais, Munster, Leicester, Treviso.
POOL FIVE: Bath, Toulon, Leinster, Wasps.
European Rugby Challenge Cup:
POOL ONE: Brive, Connacht, Enisei-STM, Newcastle Facons.
