Leinster are set to play their opening Heineken Champions Cup clash against Bath at the Aviva Stadium on the weekend of December 11th/12th after the fixtures for the 2021-22 competition were announced on Friday.
Leo Cullen’s side will then head to France a week before Christmas to take on Montpellier at the GGL Stadium.
Connacht will also be home on the opening weekend with Stade Francais the visitors to The Sportsground on the weekend of December 11th/12th in Pool B before Connacht visit Welford Road the following weekend to take on Leicester in their second pre-Christmas fixture.
Munster are away to Wasps in Coventry on the opening weekend before welcoming Castres to Thomond park the following weekend.
Ulster face a tough opener away to Clermont Auvergne at Stade Marcel-Michelin before hosting Northampton at the Kingspan Stadium in Belfast.
The reverse fixtures take place on the weekend of January 14th/15th before the final round of pool games on January 21st/22nd.
CONNACHT
December
11th/12th: (h) v Stade Francais, The Sportsground
17th/18th: (a) v Leicester, Welford Road
January
14th/15th: (h) v Leicester, The Sportsground
21st/22nd: (a) v Stade Francais, Stade Jean Bouin
LEINSTER
December
11th/12th: (h) v Bath, Venue TBC
17th/18th: (a) v Montpellier, GGL Stadium
January
14th/15th: (h) v Montpellier, RDS
21st/22nd: (a) v Bath, Recreation Ground
MUNSTER
December
11th/12th: (a) v Wasps, Coventry Building Society Arena
17th/18th: (h) v Castres, Thomond Park
January
14th/15th: (a) v Castres, Stade Pierre Fabre
21st/22nd: (h) v Wasps, Thomond Park
ULSTER
December
11th/12th: (a) v Clermont Auvergne, Stade Marcel-Michelin
17th/18th: (h) v Northampton, Kingspan Stadium
January
14th/15th: (a) v Northampton, Franklin's Gardens
21st/22nd: (h) v Clermont Auvergne, Kingspan Stadium