Rugby – Heineken Cup:Leinster will get their Heineken Cup campaign under way at home to Racing-Metro 92 while Munster are on the road against London Irish and Ulster will host Aironi Rugby.
Ulster are the first province in action when they take on the Heineken Cup debutants at Ravenhill on Friday, October 8th at 7.30pm.
Leinster, the 2009 winners, are next up the following day (9th) when they too take on European debutants in a 1.30pm kick-off before two-time champions Munster face London Irish away in an evening encounter (5.45pm).
Elsewhere Toulouse will open their defence with a home “clash of the champions” against former double winners London Wasps on Sunday 10th.
The opening exchanges of the 16th season of European club rugby’s elite tournament will be between another former champion club - 2000 winners Northampton Saints - and Castres Olympique.
The fixtures, dates, kick-off times and host broadcasters were announced today with additional broadcast details to be announced at a later date.
Toulouse won a record fourth Heineken Cup crown in the all-French final at Stade de France in May with 2006 and 2010 finalists Biarritz Olympique who start their challenge on the road at 1998 winners Bath Rugby.
The opening weekend also sees English Premiership champions Leicester Tigers travelling to Italian champions Benetton Treviso while French champions ASM Clermont Auvergne are home to Saracens with the Ospreys travelling to tournament newcomers Toulon.
Reigning Amlin Challenge Cup champions Cardiff Blues home to Edinburgh.
Heineken Cup 2010/2011 Fixtures
(All kick-offs Local time)
ROUND 1
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 8th, 2010
Pool 1 Northampton Saints v Castres Olympique 20.00 Sky Sports
Pool 4 Ulster Rugby v Aironi Rugby 19.30
Pool 6 Glasgow Warriors v Newport Gwent Dragons 19.30
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 9th, 2010
Pool 1 Cardiff Blues v Edinburgh 17.45 S4C
Pool 2 Leinster v Racing-Metro 92 13.30 Sky Sports
Pool 2 ASM Clermont Auvergne v Saracens16.30 FR2
Pool 3 Toulon v Ospreys 14.30 Canal+
Pool 3 London Irish v Munster 17.45 Sky Sports
Pool 5 Benetton Treviso v Leicester Tigers 14.30 Sky Italia
Pool 5 Scarlets v Perpignan 15.30 Sky Sports
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 10th, 2010
Pool 4 Bath Rugby v Biarritz Olympique 13.00 Sky Sports
Pool 6 Toulouse v London Wasps 16.00 FR2
ROUND 2
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 15th, 2010
Pool 1 Castres Olympique v Cardiff Blues 21.00 Canal+
Pool 3 Ospreys v London Irish 20.00 Sky Sports
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 16th, 2010
Pool 1 Edinburgh v Northampton Saints 13.30 Sky Sports
Pool 2 Racing-Metro 92 v ASM Clermont Auvergne 14.30 Canal+
Pool 2 Saracens v Leinster 17.45 Sky Sports
Pool 3 Munster v Toulon 15.30 Sky Sports
Pool 4 Aironi Rugby v Bath Rugby 14.30 Sky Italia
Pool 6 Newport Gwent Dragons v Toulouse 17.45 S4C
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 17th, 2010
Pool 4 Biarritz Olympique v Ulster Rugby 16.00 FR2
Pool 5 Leicester Tigers v Scarlets 15.00 Sky Sports
Pool 5 Perpignan v Benetton Treviso 14.00 Canal+
Pool 6 London Wasps v Glasgow Warriors 13.00 Sky Sports
ROUND 3
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 10th, 2010
Pool 6 Glasgow Warriors v Toulouse 20.00 Sky Sports
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 11th, 2010
Pool 1 Northampton Saints v Cardiff Blues 17.45 Sky Sports
Pool 1 Castres Olympique v Edinburgh 18.45 Canal+
Pool 2 Saracens v Racing-Metro 92 15.30 Sky Sports
Pool 4 Ulster Rugby v Bath Rugby 13.30 Sky Sports
Pool 4 Aironi Rugby v Biarritz Olympique 14.30 Sky Italia
Pool 5 Perpignan v Leicester Tigers 14.30 Canal+
Pool 5 Scarlets v Benetton Treviso 15.00
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 12th, 2010
Pool 2 ASM Clermont Auvergne v Leinster 16.00 FR2
Pool 3 London Irish v Toulon 15.00 Sky Sports
Pool 3 Munster v Ospreys 13.00 Sky Sports
Pool 6 Newport Gwent Dragons v London Wasps 13.00 S4C
ROUND 4
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 17th, 2010
Pool 2 Racing-Metro 92 v Saracens 21.00 Canal+
Pool 4 Biarritz Olympique v Aironi Rugby 19.00
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 18th, 2010
Pool 2 Leinster v ASM Clermont Auvergne 17.45 Sky Sports
Pool 3 Toulon v London Irish 16.30 FR2
Pool 3 Ospreys v Munster 15.30 Sky Sports
Pool 4 Bath Rugby v Ulster Rugby 13.30 Sky Sports
Pool 5 Benetton Treviso v Scarlets 14.30 Sky Italia
Pool 6 Toulouse v Glasgow Warriors 14.30 Canal+
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 19th, 2010
Pool 1 Cardiff Blues v Northampton Saints 15.00 S4C
Pool 1 Edinburgh v Castres Olympique 14.00
Pool 5 Leicester Tigers v Perpignan 15.00 Sky Sports
Pool 6 London Wasps v Newport Gwent Dragons 13.00 Sky Sports
ROUND 5
JANUARY 14-16, 2011
Pool 1 Cardiff Blues v Castres Olympique
Pool 1 Northampton Saints v Edinburgh
Pool 2 Leinster v Saracens
Pool 2 ASM Clermont Auvergne v Racing-Metro 92
Pool 3 Toulon v Munster
Pool 3 London Irish v Ospreys
Pool 4 Bath Rugby v Aironi Rugby
Pool 4 Ulster Rugby v Biarritz Olympique
Pool 5 Benetton Treviso v Perpignan
Pool 5 Scarlets v Leicester Tigers
Pool 6 Toulouse v Newport Gwent Dragons
Pool 6 Glasgow Warriors v London Wasps
JANUARY 21-23, 2011
Pool 1 Castres Olympique v Northampton Saints
Pool 1 Edinburgh v Cardiff Blues
Pool 2 Saracens v ASM Clermont Auvergne
Pool 2 Racing-Metro 92 v Leinster
Pool 3 Munster v London Irish
Pool 3 Ospreys v Toulon
Pool 4 Aironi Rugby v Ulster Rugby
Pool 4 Biarritz Olympique v Bath Rugby
Pool 5 Perpignan v Scarlets
Pool 5 Leicester Tigers v Benetton Treviso
Pool 6 Newport Gwent Dragons v Glasgow Warriors
Pool 6 London Wasps v Toulouse
QUARTER-FINALS
April 8-10, 2011
SEMI-FINALS
April 30 /May 1, 2011
16th HEINEKEN CUP FINAL
May 21/22, 2011 – Millennium Stadium, Cardiff