Leinster and Munster have both been handed tough assignments after today's Heineken Cup draw for the pool stages was made in Cardiff.

Declan Kidney's Munster side were drawn in Pool 5 alongside current cup holders London Wasps plus Llanelli, who knocked them out in the quarter-finals, and French side Clermont Auvernge.

In Pool 6 Leinster will face tough encounters against Leicester, Toulouse and Edinburgh while Ulster face The Ospreys, Gloucester and Bourgoin in Pool 2.

Speaking after today's draw Leinster chief executive Mick Dawson commented: "Supporters and media alike will no doubt label this as a 'group of death', but we are extremely excited by the prospect of locking horns with Leicester Tigers, Toulouse and Edinburgh."

"If you look across the draw then there are few, if any, what you would call easy draws and that just goes to show how strong European rugby is at the moment.

"If you want to be serious contenders in the competition then you have to beat the likes of Leicester and Toulouse. Both teams have been the standard-bearers in the Heineken Cup in recent years and they will be exciting fixtures for our supporters to look forward to."

Dawson is also aware of the threat Edinbugh will pose, especially as both teams have met regularly in the Magners Celtic League plus last year's competition.

"We know Edinburgh well given that we faced them in last year's Heineken Cup Pool stages, as well as regularly playing them in the Magners League, so we know how strong they will be.

"The plans for next season are well under way and there is a lot of excitement with the impending return to the RDS, where already close to 6,000 season ticket holders have signed up to support the team.

"Everyone associated with Leinster Rugby is excited by the draw and we are looking forward to strong Heineken Cup and Magners League campaigns next season," concluded Dawson.

The first round of matches will be played on the weekend of November 9th-11th, 2007 while the final will take place at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium on 24th or 25th May 2008.

Heineken Cup Draw 2007-8:

Pool 1
Benetton Treviso, London Irish, USA Perpignan, Newport Gwent
Dragons

Pool 2
Ospreys, Gloucester Rugby, Bourgoin, Ulster Rugby

Pool 3
Stade Francais Paris, Bristol Rugby, Cardiff Blues, Harlequins

Pool 4
Glasgow Warriors, Saracens, Biarritz Olympique, Viadana

Pool 5
LONDON WASPS, Clermont Auvernge, Llanelli Scarlets, Munster

Pool 6
Leinster, Leicester Tigers, Toulouse, Edinburgh Rugby