Rugby:Leinster have moved their Heineken Cup pool match with Clermont Auvergne to the Aviva Stadium. The defending champions, bidding for three-in-a-row in the competition, open their campaign at home to the Exeter Chiefs before travelling to take on the Scarlets in Llanelli.
From there, they face pivotal back-to-back meetings with Clermont, travelling to the Massif Central on Sunday, December 9th before welcoming the French side back to Dublin the following Saturday. Leinster defeated Vern Cotter’s side in the semi-finals last year and also met them in the pool stages in 2010.
On that occasion, they were beaten in the Stade Marcel Michelin before turning that result around at the Aviva Stadium. Details for the final two pool fixtures after Christmas have yet to be announced.
Munster open their campaign with a trip to take on Racing Metro-92 in Paris while they will play Saracens twice in December. Beaten finalists Ulster take on Castres on the opening weekend and Connacht are up against Italian newcomers Zebre.
Heineken Cup Pools
Pool 1:Munster Rugby, Edinburgh Rugby, Saracens, Racing Metro 92
Pool 2:Toulouse, Leicester Tigers, Ospreys, Benetton Treviso
Pool 3:Biarritz Olympique, Harlequins, Connacht Rugby, Zebre
Pool 4:Northampton Saints, Ulster Rugby, Glasgow Warriors, Castres Olympique
Pool 5:Leinster Rugby, ASM Clermont Auvergne, Scarlets, Exeter Chiefs
Pool 6:Cardiff Blues, Toulon, Sale Sharks, Montpellier
Heineken Cup Fixtures
Round One
Friday, October 12th
Pool 2Ospreys v Benetton Treviso, Liberty Stadium 20.00 Sky Sports
Pool 4Ulster Rugby v Castres Olympique, Ravenhill 20.00 Sky Sports/Sport+
Saturday, October 13th
Pool 1Edinburgh Rugby v Saracens, Murrayfield 13.35 Sky Sports
Pool 1Racing Metro 92 v Munster Rugby, Stade de France 14.35 Canal+/Sky Sports
Pool 3Zebre v Connacht Rugby, Stadio XXV Aprile (Parma) 14.35 Sky Italia
Pool 5Leinster Rugby v Exeter Chiefs , RDS 15.40 Sky Sports/Canal+Sport
Pool 5ASM Clermont Auvergne v Scarlets, Stade Marcel Michelin 16.40 FR2/Sky Sports
Pool 3Harlequins v Biarritz Olympique, Twickenham Stoop 18.00 Sky Sports/Sport+
Sunday, October 14th
Pool 4Northampton Saints v Glasgow Warriors, Franklin's Gardens 12.45 Sky Sports
Pool 6Sale Sharks v Cardiff Blues, Salford City Stadium 12.45 Sky Sports
Pool 2Toulouse v Leicester Tigers, Le Stadium 16.00 FR2/Sky Sports
Pool 6Toulon v Montpellier, Stade Felix Mayol 21.00 Canal+/Sky Sports
Round Two
Friday, October 19th
Pool 4Glasgow Warriors v Ulster Rugby, Scotstoun Stadium 20.00 Sky Sports
Pool 4 Castres Olympique v Northampton Saints, Stade Pierre Antoine 21.00 Canal+/Sky Sports
Saturday, October 20th
Pool 5Scarlets v Leinster Rugby, Parc y Scarlets 13.35 Sky Sports
Pool 2Benetton Treviso v Toulouse, Stadio Comunale di Monigo 14.35 Sky Italia/Canal+/Sky Sports
Pool 1Saracens v Racing Metro 92, King Baudouin Stadium (Brussels) 16.40 FR2/Sky Sports
Pool 3Connacht Rugby v Harlequins, The Sportsground 18.00 Sky Sports
Pool 5Exeter Chiefs v ASM Clermont Auvergne, Sandy Park 18.00 Sky Sports/Sport+
Pool 3Biarritz Olympique v Zebre, Parc des Sports Aguilera 19.00 Canal+
Sunday, October 21st
Pool 1Munster Rugby v Edinburgh Rugby, Thomond Park 12.45 Sky Sports
Pool 6Cardiff Blues v Toulon, Cardiff Arms Park 12.45 Sky Sports/Sport+
Pool 2Leicester Tigers v Ospreys, Welford Road 15.00 Sky Sports
Pool 6Montpellier v Sale Sharks, Stade Yves du Manoir 16.00 FR2/Sky Sports
Round Three
Friday, December 7th
Pool 4 Glasgow Warriors v Castres Olympique, Scotstoun Stadium 19.35
Pool 3 Connacht Rugby v Biarritz Olympique, The Sportsground 20.00 Sky Sports/Canal+Sport
Pool 4 Northampton Saints v Ulster Rugby, Franklin's Gardens 20.00 Sky Sports
Saturday, December 8th
Pool 5Scarlets v Exeter Chiefs, Parc y Scarlets 13.35 Sky Sports
Pool 2Toulouse v Ospreys, Stade Ernest Wallon 14.35 Canal+/Sky Sports
Pool 3Zebre v Harlequins, Stadio XXV Aprile 14.35 Sky Italia
Pool 2Leicester Tigers v Benetton Treviso, Welford Road 15.40 Sky Sports
Pool 6Sale Sharks v Toulon, Salford City Stadium 15.40 Sky Sports/FR2
Pool 1Munster Rugby v Saracens, Thomond Park 18.00 Sky Sports
Pool 1Racing Metro 92 v Edinburgh Rugby, Stade Yves du Manoir 19.00 Canal+/Sky Sports
Sunday, December 9th
Pool 6Cardiff Blues v Montpellier, Cardiff Arms Park 12.45 Sky Sports/Sport+
Pool 5ASM Clermont Auvergne v Leinster Rugby, St Marcel Michelin 16.00 FR2/Sky Sports
Round Four
Friday, December 14th
Pool 1Edinburgh Rugby v Racing Metro 92, Murrayfield 20.00 Sky Sports/Canal+Sport
Pool 3Biarritz Olympique v Connacht Rugby, Parc des Sports Aguilera 21.00 Canal+/Sky Sports
Saturday, December 15th
Pool 2Ospreys v Toulouse, Liberty Stadium 13.35 Sky Sports/Canal+
Pool 2Benetton Treviso v Leicester Tigers, Stadio di Monigo 14.35 Sky Italia/Sky Sports
Pool 3Harlequins v Zebre, Twickenham Stoop 15.00
Pool 5Leinster Rugby v ASM Clermont Auvergne, Aviva Stadium 15.40 Sky Sports/FR2
Pool 5Exeter Chiefs v Scarlets, Sandy Park 15.40 Sky Sports
Pool 4Ulster Rugby v Northampton Saints, Ravenhill 18.00 Sky Sports
Pool 6Montpellier v Cardiff Blues, Stade Yves du Manoir 19.00 Canal+/Sky Sports
Sunday, December 16th
Pool 4Castres Olympique v Glasgow Warriors, Stade Pierre Antoine 13.45 Canal+/Sky Sports
Pool 1Saracens v Munster Rugby, London venue (TBC) 15.00 Sky Sports
Pool 6Toulon v Sale Sharks, Stade Felix Mayol 16.00 FR2/Sky Sports
Round Five
January 11th/12/13th
Pool 1Edinburgh Rugby v Munster Rugby
Pool 1Racing Metro 92 v Saracens
Pool 2Ospreys v Leicester Tigers
Pool 2Toulouse v Benetton Treviso
Pool 3Harlequins v Connacht Rugby
Pool 3Zebre v Biarritz Olympique
Pool 4Ulster Rugby v Glasgow Warriors
Pool 4Northampton Saints v Castres Olympique
Pool 5Leinster Rugby v Scarlets
Pool 5ASM Clermont Auvergne v Exeter Chiefs
Pool 6Toulon v Cardiff Blues
Pool 6Sale Sharks v Montpellier
Round Six
January 18th/19th/20th
Pool 1Munster Rugby v Racing Metro 92
Pool 1Saracens v Edinburgh Rugby
Pool 2Leicester Tigers v Toulouse
Pool 2Benetton Treviso v Ospreys
Pool 3Connacht Rugby v Zebre
Pool 3Biarritz v Harlequins
Pool 4Glasgow Warriors v Northampton Saints
Pool 4Castres Olympique v Ulster Rugby
Pool 5Scarlets v ASM Clermont Auvergne
Pool 5Exeter Chiefs v Leinster Rugby
Pool 6Cardiff Blues v Sale Sharks
Pool 6Montpellier v Toulon
