LEINSTER WILL FACE Champions Toulon in the December double header in this season’s European Champions Cup.
The sides will meet in round three at Stade Mayol on Sunday December 13 at 3.15pm on Sky Sports, with the return game in Dublin (Stadium TBC) on Saturday the 19th at 5.15pm, also shown on Sky.
They will open their campaign at home to Wasps on Saturday November 15, before travelling away to Bath the following Saturday, ahead of the huge double header with the champions before Christmas.
They will then face Bath at home in round five, before completing the pool stage the following weekend away to Wasps, just like they did last season.
Meanwhile Munster will be targeting maximum points on the opening weekend, at home to Treviso on Saturday November 14 at 5.15, before travelling to Top 14 champions Stade Francais the following Sunday afternoon.
Their December double-header will be against Leicester Tigers, with a 7.45 kick off in Thomond Park on Saturday December 12, with a Sunday evening kick-off in Welford Road the following week.
They conclude their campaign in rounds five and six at home to Stade Francais, before travelling to Italy to face Treviso on the final weekend, with kickoff times for those rounds yet to be announced.
Ulster also have a tough December double-header, as they welcome Toulouse to Kingspan Stadium on Friday December 11, before the return game the following Sunday afternoon.
They open their campaign away to French newcomers Oyonnax at 1pm Irish time on Saturday November 14, before hosting Saracens the following Friday night on BT Sport.
They then travel to Saracens in round five after Christmas, before finishing the pool at home to Oyonnax.
Meanwhile, Connacht’s Challenge Cup fixtures are yet to be confirmed, with the teams still working out the fine details due to their Russian opponents Enisei STM being based in Sochi for their home games.
For full details of the kick-off dates, times and TV coverage for the first four rounds, click here.
Leinster V Toulon and Munster V Leicester are gonna be magnificent, maybe the Irish provinces might have a bit more luck this season (well, alright, maybe Munster and Ulster)
Really good back to backs this year. Toulon and Leinster. Ulster and Toulouse. Bath and Wasps. Tigers and Munster. Racing Metro and Northampton.
Leinster were not far off against Toulon last year so don’t write them off just yet Eamonn
Well said my friend and that was in France too.
ah yes the champions cup ,when casual munster fans pretend to be an army of fanatics.The same fans who couldn’t be arsed to attend rugby matches for the rest of the year will suddenly appear in the pubs of munster on match nights telling us all how wonderful they are. That is all. ps I am back.
I really not have a lot if time for Munster fans, the ones who aren’t even fro Munster are the worst.
How Not that great we are you mean? ;-)
Good man Robson, been a quiet summer without you.
All of the provinces have fans like that.
Another excellent bit of news for Munster, home to the Italians then a seven day turnaround to the French. Same with the back to backs v Leicester, ample time to recover. No excuses this time.
Aviva in the run up to Christmas has become an annual tradition for me and it ain’t gonna change. Bring ‘em on!
Thank god it’s on sky sports. BT should be scrapped.
Bath is some spot for a match for anyone looking at a good weekend away. Also Nov 15th for Leinster Wasps in a Sun not Sat.
So according to the article Ulster play Toulouse on the Friday and then the following Sunday afternoon. That’s tough going.
Is it confirmed Ensei playing at home in Sochi?
I know they played their qualifier there but hadn’t heard it going to be their base for Challenge Cup
Any word on when tickets go on sale? Can’t find it anywhere