Tigers and Stade in Euro Cracker
This mouthwatering Round One clash takes place at Welford Road on Friday, November 13.
The Pool Four meeting of the two-time winners and the reigning Top 14 champions is just one of a number of heavyweight confrontations scheduled for the opening weekend of Europe's elite club tournament.
RC Toulon, who completed an historic hat-trick of titles last season, begin their defence when they take on Bath Rugby at Stade Félix Mayol in the ultra-competitive Pool Five on Sunday, November 15. In Pool One, Aviva Premiership champions, Saracens, host Toulouse in another seismic Anglo-French fixture at Allianz Park on Saturday, November 14.
First-time PRO12 champions, Glasgow Warriors, have a tough task on their hands when they travel to Racing 92 in Pool 3. On Saturday, November 14, and Champions Cup debutants, Oyonnax, will stage their first game in Europe's top flight on the same day against Ulster Rugby at Stade Charles Mathon.
All 40 matches in Rounds One to Four of the Champions Cup will be broadcast live in the UK and Ireland.
Last season's Challenge Cup winners, Gloucester Rugby, open their campaign against Zebre Rugby at Kingsholm Stadium on Saturday, November 14.
The fixtures for Pool One of the Challenge Cup involving Connacht Rugby, Brive, Newcastle Falcons and Russian newcomers, Enisei-STM who are based in Krasnoyarsk, Siberia, will be announced shortly.
The December back-to-back fixtures in Rounds Three and Four which traditionally guarantee sell-out attendances across the pools have also thrown up some fascinating clashes. RC Toulon and Leinster Rugby renew their rivalry. The venue for the Round Three game between the three-time champions on Sunday, December 13 is yet to be decided, however, the return will go ahead at Dublin's Aviva Stadium on Saturday, December 19.
The clashes of Munster Rugby and Leicester Tigers, Racing 92 and Northampton Saints, Ulster Rugby and Toulouse, as well as Wasps v Bath Rugby will also feature prominently in the key back-to-back series.
The dates and kick-off times for the Round 5 and 6 fixtures in both the Champions Cup and the Challenge Cup will be announced following the completion of the Round 4 games.
Notes
* The Champions Cup and the Challenge Cup consist of five pools of four clubs with the five pool winners and the three best runners-up qualifying for the knockout stages
* The clubs in both tournaments have qualified on merit from Europe's three main professional leagues – the Premiership, the PRO12 and the Top 14 – or via a play-off and the Challenge Cup Qualifying Competition
* The 20th place in the 2016/17 Champions Cup will be awarded to the winner of this season's Challenge Cup. If the winner of the Challenge Cup is already qualified, the 20th place will go to the highest-ranked club (which has not qualified for the Champions Cup) from the same league as the Challenge Cup winner
* The 2016 Challenge Cup and Champions Cup finals will be staged at the Grand Stade de Lyon on May 13 and 14 next
* 2015/16 will be the 21st season of European professional club rugby
Tournament weekends
Round 1: 12/13/14/15 November
Round 2: 19/20/21/22 November
Round 3: 10/11/12/13 December
Round 4: 17/18/19/20 December
Round 5: 14/15/16/17 January 2016
Round 6: 21/22/23/24 January 2016
Quarter-finals: 7/8/9/10 April 2016
Semi-finals: 22/23/24 April 2016
LYON 2016 FINALS
Challenge Cup – Friday, May 13 2016; Grand Stade de Lyon (21.00)
Champions Cup – Saturday, May 14 2016; Grand Stade de Lyon (17.45)
* For a complete list of Euro Champions Cup fixtures CLICK HERE!
* For a complete list of Euro Challenge Cup fixtures CLICK HERE!
