Beaten semi-finalists last season, Munster will experience a touch of deja vu when they begin their 2001/02 Heineken European Cup campaign against Castres on the weekend of September 28th-30th.
Declan Kidney's charges twice beat the French side at the pool stage last season, a thrilling away win supplemented by a hard-fought victory in Musgrave Park, Cork. Castres will definitely be without last season's captain, Ireland second row Jeremy Davidson, who has returned to Ulster.
Ulster open their programme with a trip to Italy where they will face Benneton-Treviso, while Leinster's opening foray could not be more difficult, with a trip to Stade Les Septs Deniers to take on the mighty Stade Toulousain. Matt Williams will take heart from the fact that Ulster managed an epic 35-35 draw against the French side in Toulouse last season.
Ireland captain Keith Wood will have to wait until January 2002 and round five of the tournament before he can enjoy a nostalgic return home in the colours of NEC Harlequins as they take on Munster, most probably at Thomond Park. The sides clash before then, in the second round of matches, at the Stoop in London.
Munster face back-to-back fixtures against Welsh side Bridgend in the interim and will conclude their campaign in Castres. Ulster take on Wasps at Ravenhill in the second round of matches before bracing themselves for successive games against last season's beaten finalists Stade Francais. They conclude their campaign against Treviso at Ravenhill.
Leinster's fiery baptism in Toulouse will be followed by a game against the Newcastle Falcons at Donnybrook before they play back-to-back games against Newport. The Welsh club, twice defeated by Munster in last season's competition, bade farewell to former Springbok captain Gary Teichmann at the end of last season but welcome another South African, the brilliant Joost van der Westhuizen for the new campaign.
Leinster host Toulouse at Donnybrook in the final round of games. The Irish provinces will prepare for the European Cup by virtue of the Celtic League and interprovincial series.
All Black coach Wayne Smith yesterday restored Jomah Lomu to the starting line-up as he made six changes to the side for Saturday's test against Argentina in Christchurch. Lomu, controversially left out of Saturday's test against Samoa, returns to the left-wing while Jeff Wilson returns to his more favoured right wing.
Round One (September 28th-30th) Pool 1: Leicester Tigers v Llanelli; Perpignan v Calvisano; Pool 2: Treviso v Ulster; Wasps v Stade Francais. Pool 3: Biarritz v Bath; Swansea v Edinburgh. Pool 4: Munster v Castres; Bridgend v Harlequins. Pool 5: Glasgow Caledonians v Montferrand; Cardiff v Northampton. Pool 6: Newcastle v Newport; Toulouse v Leinster.
Round Two (October 5th-7th) Pool 1: Llanelli v Perpignan; Calvisano v Leicester. Pool 2: Ulster v Wasps; Stade Francais v Treviso. Pool 3: Bath v Swansea; Edinburgh Reivers v Biarritz. Pool 4: Castres v Bridgend; Harlequins v Munster. Pool 5: Montferrand v Cardiff; Northampton v Glasgow Caledonians. Pool 6: Newport v Toulouse; Leinster v Newcastle.
Round Three (October 26th-28th) Pool 1: Perpignan v Leicester; Calvisano v Llanelli; Pool 2: Wasps v Treviso; Stade Francais v Ulster; Pool 3: Swansea v Biarritz; Edinburgh Reivers v Bath; Pool 4: Bridgend v Munster; Harlequins v Castres; Pool 5: Cardiff v Glasgow Caledonians; Northampton v Montferrand. Pool 6: Toulouse v Newcastle; Leinster v Newport.
Round Four (November 2nd-4th) Pool 1: Leicester Tigers v Perpignan; Llanelli v Calvisano; Pool 2: Treviso v Wasps; Ulster v Stade Francais. Pool 3: Biarritz v Swansea; Bath v Edinburgh; Pool 4: Munster v Bridgend; Castres v Harlequins; Pool 5: Glasgow Caledonians v Cardiff; Montferrand v Northampton; Pool 6: Newcastle v Toulouse; Newport v Leinster.
Round Five (January 4th-6th) Pool 1: Leicester v Calvisano; Perpignan v Llanelli; Pool 2: Treviso v Stade Francais; Wasps v Ulster. Pool 3: Biarritz v Edinburgh Reivers; Swansea v Bath. Pool 4: Munster v Harlequins; Bridgend v Castres. Pool 5: Glasgow Caledonians v Northampton; Cardiff v Montferrand. Pool 6: Newcastle v Leinster; Toulouse v Newport.
Round Six (January 11th-13th) Pool 1: Calvisano v Perpignan; Llanelli v Leicester; Pool 2: Stade Francais v Wasps; Ulster v Treviso. Pool 3: Edinburgh Reivers v Swansea; Bath v Biarritz. Pool 4: Harlequins v Bridgend; Castres v Munster. Pool 5: Northampton v Cardiff; Montferrand v Glasgow Caledonians. Pool 6: Leinster v Toulouse; Newport v Newcastle.
Quarter-Finals: January 25th-27th.
Semi-Finals: April 27th-28th.
Final: May 25th.
