Munster host Clermont on Saturday night

Leinster make the trip to The Stoop to take on Harlequins on Sunday, December 7th

Munster will be the first of the Irish provinces into action on Saturday, December 6th, when they host Clermont Auvergne at Thomond Park (5.30) following today's official annoucement of the third and fourth weekend's fixtures in the European Rugby Champions Cup.

On the same night Ulster will entertain the Scarlets at the Kingspan stadium in Belfast (7.45), in the late game. Leinster's pool match against Harlequins has been fixed for the Sunday, December 7th, at The Stoop with a 3.15 kickoff.

The Ulster and Leinster matches will be shown live on BT Sport while Sky Sports will show live coverage of the Munster game.

In the reverse fixtures the weekend after, Matt O’Connor’s Leinster will be hoping to banish memories of last season’s defeat to the Northampton Saints when they run out at the Aviva stadium in the late game on Saturday, December 13th (7.45, live on BT Sport).

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Munster travel to the imposing Stade Marcel Michelin on the Sunday where they'll get a second tilt at Clermont (3.15, Irish time, live on Sky Sports) while Ulster make the short trip across the Irish Sea to Parc y Scarlets, a game that will be shown live on BT Sport (5.15).

European Rugby Champions Cup

Friday, December 5th: Montpellier v Bath, Stade Yves du Manoir (7.45, Irish time).

Saturday, December 6th: Sale Sharks v Saracens, AJ Bell stadium (1.0); Treviso v Northampton Saints, Tadio Comunale di Monigo (1.0, Irish time); Ospreys v Racing Metro 92, Liberty stadium (3.15); Munster v Clermont Auvergne, Thomond Park (5.30); Ulster v Scarlets, Kingspan stadium (7.45).

Sunday, December, 7th: Castres Olympique v Wasps, Stade Pierre Antoine (1.0, Irish time); Harlequins v Leinster, The Stoop (3.15); Toulouse v Glasgow Warriors, Stade Earnest Wallon (3.15, Irish time); Leicester Tigers v Toulon, Welford Road (5.30).

Friday, December 12th: Bath v Montpellier, Recreation Ground (7.45).

Saturday, December 13th: Glasgow Warriors v Toulouse, Scotstoun (1.0); Nothampton Saints v Treviso, Franklin's Gardens (3.15); Toulon v Leicester Tigers, Stade Felix Mayol (3.15, Irish time); Saracens v Sale Sharks, Allianz Park (5.15); Racing Metro 92 v Ospreys, MMArena, Le Mans (5.15, Irish time); Leinster v Harlequins, Avia stadium (7.45).

Sunday, December 14th: Wasps v Castres Olympique, Adams Park (1.0); Clermont Auvergne v Munster, Stade Marcel Michelin (3.15, Irish time); Scarlets v Ulster, Parc y Scarlets (5.15).

John O'Sullivan

John O'Sullivan

John O'Sullivan is an Irish Times sports writer