Leinster drawn with Clermont and La Rochelle in Champions Cup pool stages

Beaten finalists Leinster have been pitted against Clermont Auvergne, La Rochelle, Bristol, Benetton and Bath in the group stages of next season’s Champions Cup after they were drawn together in Pool 2.

Tuesday morning’s draw placed Munster against Northampton, Bulls, Stade Francais, Saracens and Castres in Pool 3.

And Ulster will take on Toulouse, Bordeaux-Begles, Sharks, Exeter Chiefs and Leicester in Pool 1.

Each club will play four matches against four different clubs, who are not from the same league, either home or away.

In the Challenge Cup, Connacht were drawn alongside Cardiff, Cheetahs, Perpignan, Lyon and Zebre.

Exact dates, venues and kick-off times will be announced in due course.

Pool 1

Leicester

Toulouse

Bordeaux-Begles

Sharks

Exeter Chiefs

Ulster

Pool 2

Leinster

Clermont Auvergne

La Rochelle

Bristol

Benetton

Bath

Pool 3

Northampton

Munster

Bulls

Stade Francais

Saracens

Castres

Pool 4

Glasgow

Racing 92

Sale

Stormers

Toulon

Harlequins

Fixtures

Round 1 – December 6/7/8

Round 2 – December 13/14/15

Round 3 – January 10/11/12

Round 4 – January 17/18/19

Round of 16 – April 4/5/6

Quarter-finals – April 11/12/13

Semi-finals – May 2/3/4

Final – Saturday, May 24th, Principality Stadium, Cardiff

Full story to follow…