Rugby - Heineken Cup Draw:European champions Leinster will launch the defence of their Heineken Cup title from Pool Six where they are joined by London Irish, the Scarlets and Brive after today's draw in Paris threw up some intriguing clashes.

Magners League champions Munster will take on French champions Perpignan in Pool One, which also features a return to Heineken Cup rugby for Northampton with Treviso completing the group.

Last year's beaten finalists Leicester have again been drawn to face the Ospreys while Top 14 runners-up Clermont Auvergne and Italian side Viadana complete Pool Three.

Leinster coach knows that no draw is easy for the defending champions but is looking forward to trying to buck the trend and retain the cup.

"As champions you are always more of a target, you are there to be shot at, and history has proven that defending the Heineken Cup is a massive task,” said Cheika today.

"Leicester managed it once but history is certainly against you and so far it has proved too much for all the other Heineken Cup winners.

"Every Pool in next season's tournament is a tough one and we know that going to Brive will be extremely challenging.

"London Irish did exceptionally well in the Premiership last season and we know the Scarlets well, that week in week out they are capable of getting the right results.

"The draw has thrown up plenty of potentially high-quality matches and I can't wait for us to start defending the title."

Arguably the toughest group of all is Pool Five, which features French giants Toulouse, Heineken Cup semi-finalsts Cardiff Blues, Harlequins and Sale.

Jean Pierre Lux, chairman of European Rugby Cup, said: "All the pools look balanced apart from Pool Five - that was always going to be the case because of the second English team."

As lowly third tier seeds Ulster face a tough assignment to get out of Pool Four after they were drawn alongside Edinburgh, Bath and European heavyweights Stade Francais.

The first round of matches will be played on the weekend of October 9th-11th and the winners of the six pools qualify for the quarter-finals along with the two best runners-up.

The final will be played at the Stade de France on May 22nd.

Heineken Cup 2009/10 Draw

Pool One
Munster
Perpignan
Northampton
Treviso

Pool Two
Biarritz
Gloucester
Newport Gwent Dragons
Glasgow

Pool Three
Leicester
Ospreys
Clermont Auvergne
Viadana

Pool Four
Bath
Stade Francais
Ulster
Edinburgh

Pool Five
Toulouse
Cardiff Blues
Sale
Harlequins

Pool Six
Leinster
London Irish
Scarlets
Brive