Munster will open the defence of their Heineken Cup title with a home clash against French newcomers Montauban at Thomond Park, it was announced today.
Organisers European Rugby Cup Ltd have confirmed the fixtures and dates for the opening four rounds with the visit of Montauban the first major obstacle for new coach Tony McGahan to negotiate.
McGahan admits the French qualifiers remain something of an unknown quantity at this stage but by the time they arrive at the newly revamped Thomond Park on October 10th we can be sure the Australian and his backroom team will be well briefed.
"Montauban will be a very interesting - and difficult - start for us and, at the moment, we don't know that much about them," said McGahan.
"However, they have done superbly well in the Top 14 in order to qualify for the Heineken Cup for the first time and there is absolutely no way we will be under estimating them."
From Thomond, Munster travel to face Sale before back-to-back clashes with Clermont Auvergne.
Michael Cheika's Leinster open and finish their campaign against bogey side Edinburgh, the first of those matches taking place at Murrayfield. Next up is a home meeting with Wasps before pivotal home and away matches against Castres.
And Ulster, with Matt Williams at the helm, will meet French opposition in the form of Stade Francais on the first weekend.
Heineken European Cup Fixtures(all times local)
Round One
Friday, October 10th, 2008
Pool 1: Munster v Montauban 8pm
Pool 3: Perpignan v Benetton Treviso 9pm
Saturday, October 11th, 2008
Pool 1ASM Clermont Auvergne v Sale Sharks 2.35pm
Pool 2Edinburgh v Leinster 1.35
Pool 4Llanelli Scarlets v Harlequins 3.30pm
Pool 4Ulster Rugby v Stade Français Paris 3.30pm
Pool 5Newport Gwent Dragons v Glasgow Warriors 2.30pm
Pool 6Gloucester Rugby v Biarritz Olympique 5.30pm
Pool 6Rugby Calvisano v Cardiff Blues 2.35pm
Sunday, October 12th, 2008
Pool 2London Wasps v Castres Olympique 3pm
Pool 3Leicester Tigers v Ospreys 1pm
Pool 5Toulouse v Bath Rugby 4pm
Round Two
Friday, October 17th, 2008
Pool 5Glasgow Warriors v Toulouse 8pm
Saturday, October 18th, 2008
Pool 2Castres Olympique v Edinburgh 6.30pm
Pool 2Leinster v London Wasps 5.30pm
Pool 3Benetton Treviso v Leicester Tigers 2.35pm
Pool 3Ospreys v Perpignan 3.30pm
Pool 4Stade Français Paris v Llanelli Scarlets 2.35pm
Pool 4Harlequins v Ulster Rugby 3pm
Pool 6Biarritz Olympique v Rugby Calvisano 6pm
Sunday, October 19th, 2008
Pool 1Montauban v ASM Clermont Auvergne 4pm
Pool 1Sale Sharks v Munster 1pm
Pool 5Bath Rugby v Newport Gwent Dragons 1pm
Pool 6Cardiff Blues v Gloucester Rugby 3pm
Round Three
Friday, December 5th, 2008
Pool 1Sale Sharks v Montauban 7.45pm
Pool 2Edinburgh v London Wasps 7.30pm
Pool 4Ulster Rugby v Llanelli Scarlets 8pm
Pool 6Cardiff Blues v Biarritz Olympique 8pm
Saturday, December 6th, 2008
Pool 2Leinster v Castres Olympique 1.35pm
Pool 3Ospreys v Benetton Treviso 3pm
Pool 3Leicester Tigers v Perpignan 5.30pm
Pool 4Stade Français Paris v Harlequins 4.30pm
Pool 5Toulouse v Newport Gwent Dragons 2.35pm
Pool 6Rugby Calvisano v Gloucester Rugby 2.35pm
Sunday, December 7th, 2008
Pool 1ASM Clermont Auvergne v Munster 4pm
Pool 5Bath Rugby v Glasgow Warriors 1pm
Round Four
Friday, December 12th, 2008
Pool 2Castres Olympique v Leinster 9pm
Pool 4Llanelli Scarlets v Ulster Rugby 8pm
Saturday, December 13th, 2008
Pool 1Munster v ASM Clermont Auvergne 3.30pm
Pool 1Montauban v Sale Sharks 7pm
Pool 3Benetton Treviso v Ospreys 2.35pm
Pool 4Harlequins v Stade Français Paris 5.30pm
Pool 5Newport Gwent Dragons v Toulouse 2.30pm
Pool 6Biarritz Olympique v Cardiff Blues 2.35pm
Pool 6Gloucester Rugby v Rugby Calvisano 3pm
Sunday, December 14th, 2008
Pool 2London Wasps v Edinburgh 1pm
Pool 3Perpignan v Leicester Tigers 4pm
Pool 5Glasgow Warriors v Bath Rugby 2pm
Round Five
January 16th-18th, 2009
Pool 1Munster v Sale Sharks
Pool 1ASM Clermont Auvergne v Montauban
Pool 2London Wasps v Leinster
Pool 2Edinburgh v Castres Olympique
Pool 3Perpignan v Ospreys
Pool 3Leicester Tigers v Benetton Treviso
Pool 4Llanelli Scarlets v Stade Français Paris
Pool 4Ulster Rugby v Harlequins
Pool 5Newport Gwent Dragons v Bath Rugby
Pool 5Toulouse v Glasgow Warriors
Pool 6Gloucester Rugby v Cardiff
Pool 6Rugby Calvisano v Biarritz Olympique
Round Six
January 23rd-25th, 2009
Pool 1Sale Sharks v ASM Clermont Auvergne
Pool 1Montauban v Munster
Pool 2Leinster v Edinburgh
Pool 2Castres Olympique v London Wasps
Pool 3Ospreys v Leicester Tigers
Pool 3Benetton Treviso v Perpignan
Pool 4Stade Français Paris v Ulster Rugby
Pool 4Harlequins v Llanelli Scarlets
Pool 5Bath Rugby v Toulouse
Pool 5Glasgow Warriors v Newport Gwent Dragons
Pool 6Cardiff Blues v Rugby Calvisano
Pool 6Biarritz Olympique v Gloucester Rugby
