Montauban first up for defending champions

Munster will open the defence of their Heineken Cup title with a home clash against French newcomers Montauban at Thomond Park, it was announced today.

Organisers European Rugby Cup Ltd have confirmed the fixtures and dates for the opening four rounds with the visit of Montauban the first major obstacle for new coach Tony McGahan to negotiate.

McGahan admits the French qualifiers remain something of an unknown quantity at this stage but by the time they arrive at the newly revamped Thomond Park on October 10th we can be sure the Australian and his backroom team will be well briefed.

"Montauban will be a very interesting - and difficult - start for us and, at the moment, we don't know that much about them," said McGahan.

"However, they have done superbly well in the Top 14 in order to qualify for the Heineken Cup for the first time and there is absolutely no way we will be under estimating them."

From Thomond, Munster travel to face Sale before back-to-back clashes with Clermont Auvergne.

Michael Cheika's Leinster open and finish their campaign against bogey side Edinburgh, the first of those matches taking place at Murrayfield. Next up is a home meeting with Wasps before pivotal home and away matches against Castres.

And Ulster, with Matt Williams at the helm, will meet French opposition in the form of Stade Francais on the first weekend.

Heineken European Cup Fixtures (all times local)

Round One

Friday, October 10th, 2008
Pool 1 : Munster v Montauban 8pm
Pool 3 : Perpignan v Benetton Treviso 9pm

Saturday, October 11th, 2008
Pool 1 ASM Clermont Auvergne v Sale Sharks 2.35pm 
Pool 2 Edinburgh v Leinster 1.35
Pool 4 Llanelli Scarlets v Harlequins 3.30pm
Pool 4 Ulster Rugby v Stade Français Paris 3.30pm
Pool 5 Newport Gwent Dragons v Glasgow Warriors 2.30pm
Pool 6 Gloucester Rugby v Biarritz Olympique 5.30pm
Pool 6 Rugby Calvisano v Cardiff Blues 2.35pm

Sunday, October 12th, 2008
Pool 2 London Wasps v Castres Olympique 3pm
Pool 3 Leicester Tigers v Ospreys 1pm
Pool 5 Toulouse v Bath Rugby 4pm

Round Two
 
Friday, October 17th, 2008
Pool 5 Glasgow Warriors v Toulouse 8pm

Saturday, October 18th, 2008
Pool 2 Castres Olympique v Edinburgh 6.30pm
Pool 2 Leinster v London Wasps 5.30pm
Pool 3 Benetton Treviso v Leicester Tigers 2.35pm
Pool 3 Ospreys v Perpignan 3.30pm
Pool 4 Stade Français Paris v Llanelli Scarlets 2.35pm
Pool 4 Harlequins v Ulster Rugby 3pm
Pool 6 Biarritz Olympique v Rugby Calvisano 6pm

Sunday, October 19th, 2008
Pool 1 Montauban v ASM Clermont Auvergne 4pm
Pool 1 Sale Sharks v Munster 1pm
Pool 5 Bath Rugby v Newport Gwent Dragons 1pm
Pool 6 Cardiff Blues v Gloucester Rugby 3pm

Round Three

Friday, December 5th, 2008
Pool 1 Sale Sharks v Montauban 7.45pm
Pool 2 Edinburgh v London Wasps 7.30pm
Pool 4 Ulster Rugby v Llanelli Scarlets 8pm
Pool 6 Cardiff Blues v Biarritz Olympique 8pm

Saturday, December 6th, 2008
Pool 2 Leinster v Castres Olympique 1.35pm
Pool 3 Ospreys v Benetton Treviso 3pm
Pool 3 Leicester Tigers v Perpignan 5.30pm
Pool 4 Stade Français Paris v Harlequins 4.30pm
Pool 5 Toulouse v Newport Gwent Dragons 2.35pm
Pool 6 Rugby Calvisano v Gloucester Rugby 2.35pm

Sunday, December 7th, 2008
Pool 1 ASM Clermont Auvergne v Munster 4pm
Pool 5 Bath Rugby v Glasgow Warriors 1pm

Round Four

Friday, December 12th, 2008
Pool 2 Castres Olympique v Leinster 9pm
Pool 4 Llanelli Scarlets v Ulster Rugby 8pm

Saturday, December 13th, 2008
Pool 1 Munster v ASM Clermont Auvergne 3.30pm
Pool 1 Montauban v Sale Sharks 7pm
Pool 3 Benetton Treviso v Ospreys 2.35pm
Pool 4 Harlequins v Stade Français Paris 5.30pm
Pool 5 Newport Gwent Dragons v Toulouse 2.30pm
Pool 6 Biarritz Olympique v Cardiff Blues 2.35pm
Pool 6 Gloucester Rugby v Rugby Calvisano 3pm

Sunday, December 14th, 2008
Pool 2 London Wasps v Edinburgh 1pm
Pool 3 Perpignan v Leicester Tigers 4pm
Pool 5 Glasgow Warriors v Bath Rugby 2pm

Round Five

January 16th-18th, 2009
Pool 1 Munster v Sale Sharks
Pool 1 ASM Clermont Auvergne v Montauban
Pool 2 London Wasps v Leinster
Pool 2 Edinburgh v Castres Olympique
Pool 3 Perpignan v Ospreys
Pool 3 Leicester Tigers v Benetton Treviso
Pool 4 Llanelli Scarlets v Stade Français Paris
Pool 4 Ulster Rugby v Harlequins
Pool 5 Newport Gwent Dragons v Bath Rugby
Pool 5 Toulouse v Glasgow Warriors
Pool 6 Gloucester Rugby v Cardiff
Pool 6 Rugby Calvisano v Biarritz Olympique

Round Six

January 23rd-25th, 2009
Pool 1 Sale Sharks v ASM Clermont Auvergne
Pool 1 Montauban v Munster
Pool 2 Leinster v Edinburgh
Pool 2 Castres Olympique v London Wasps
Pool 3 Ospreys v Leicester Tigers
Pool 3 Benetton Treviso v Perpignan
Pool 4 Stade Français Paris v Ulster Rugby
Pool 4 Harlequins v Llanelli Scarlets
Pool 5 Bath Rugby v Toulouse
Pool 5 Glasgow Warriors v Newport Gwent Dragons
Pool 6 Cardiff Blues v Rugby Calvisano
Pool 6 Biarritz Olympique v Gloucester Rugby
 

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