Munster's French HC challenge revealed
Fri, 18 Jul 2008 10:47
Heineken Cup champions Munster will be starting the defence of their title against French challengers and newcomers to the tournament, US Montauban.
The fixtures, dates and kick-off times for the first four rounds of the 2008/09 Heineken Cup tournament were announced on Thursday by tournament organisers European Rugby Competitions (ERC).
The 2008/09 season will see a record 10 matches televised on each of the opening two weekends in October.
Reigning Heineken Cup champions Munster will be first into the action when they launch the defence of their title with an opening night Round One clash with tournament newcomers Montauban at a revamped Thomond Park on Friday, October 10.
And treble champions and 2008 finalists Toulouse will close the first weekend's matches when they host fellow former winners Bath Rugby in match No.12 on Sunday, October 12. Toulouse will stage the match at the 37,000 capacity Le Stadium.
Montauban - who will become the 55th team to play Heineken Cup rugby - will immediately go under the spotlight against the 2006 and 2008 champions with Montauban's all-French clash with ASM Clermont Auvergne in Round Two making Stade de Sapiac the 83rd venue to stage tournament action.
"Montauban will be a very interesting - and difficult - start for us and, at the moment, we don't know that much about them," said Tony McGahan, Munster's new Director of Coaching.
"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 underestimating them."
Another new venue in the later stages will be Parc y Scarlets - the soon to be completed £23-million (ZAR347-million) new home of Llanelli Scarlets - while a national ground that will see Pool stage action will be the Millennium Stadium, Cardiff Blues moving their big Anglo-Welsh Round Two match against Gloucester Rugby next door to the venue that has hosted three Heineken Cup Finals.
The Pools:
Pool 1: Munster, Sale Sharks, ASM Clermont Auvergne, Montauban
Pool 2: London Wasps, Leinster, Castres Olympique, Edinburgh
Pool 3: Leicester Tigers, Perpignan, Ospreys, Benetton Treviso
Pool 4: Stade Français Paris, Llanelli Scarlets, Ulster Rugby, Harlequins
Pool 5: Toulouse, Bath Rugby, Newport Gwent Dragons, Glasgow Warriors
Pool 6: Biarritz Olympique, Gloucester Rugby, Cardiff Blues, Rugby Calvisano
The Fixtures: (All kick-offs local times)
Round One:
Friday, October 10, 2008
Pool 1: Munster v Montauban 20.00
Pool 3: Perpignan v Benetton Treviso 21.00
Saturday, October 11, 2008
Pool 1: ASM Clermont Auvergne v Sale Sharks 14.35
Pool 2: Edinburgh v Leinster 13.35
Pool 4: Llanelli Scarlets v Harlequins 15.30
Pool 4: Ulster Rugby v Stade Français Paris
15.30
Pool 5: Newport Gwent Dragons v Glasgow Warriors 14.30
Pool 6: Gloucester Rugby v Biarritz Olympique 17.30
Pool 6: Rugby Calvisano v Cardiff Blues 14.35
Sunday, October 12, 2008
Pool 2: London Wasps v Castres Olympique 15.00
Pool 3: Leicester Tigers v Ospreys 13.00
Pool 5: Toulouse v Bath Rugby 16.00
Round Two
Friday, October 17, 2008
Pool 5: Glasgow Warriors v Toulouse 20.00
Saturday, October 18, 2008
Pool 2: Castres Olympique v Edinburgh 18.30
Pool 2: Leinster v London Wasps 17.30
Pool 3: Benetton Treviso v Leicester Tigers 14.35
Pool 3: Ospreys v Perpignan 15.30
Pool 4: Stade Français Paris v Llanelli Scarlets 14.35
Pool 4: Harlequins v Ulster Rugby 15.00
Pool 6: Biarritz Olympique v Rugby Calvisano 18.00
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Pool 1: Montauban v ASM Clermont Auvergne 16.00
Pool 1: Sale Sharks v Munster 13.00
Pool 5:
Bath Rugby v Newport Gwent Dragons 13.00
Pool 6: Cardiff Blues v Gloucester Rugby 15.00
Round Three
Friday, December 5, 2008
Pool 1: Sale Sharks v Montauban 19.45
Pool 2: Edinburgh v London Wasps 19.30
Pool 4: Ulster Rugby v Llanelli Scarlets 20.00
Pool 6: Cardiff Blues v Biarritz Olympique 20.00
Saturday, December 6, 2008
Pool 2: Leinster v Castres Olympique 13.35
Pool 3: Ospreys v Benetton Treviso 15.00
Pool 3: Leicester Tigers v Perpignan 17.30
Pool 4: Stade Français Paris v Harlequins 16.30
Pool 5: Toulouse v Newport Gwent Dragons 14.35
Pool 6: Rugby Calvisano v Gloucester Rugby 14.35
Sunday, December 7, 2008
Pool 1: ASM Clermont Auvergne v Munster 16.00
Pool 5: Bath Rugby v Glasgow Warriors 13.00
Round Four
Friday, December 12, 2008
Pool 2: Castres Olympique v Leinster 21.00
Pool 4: Llanelli Scarlets v Ulster Rugby
20.00
Saturday, December 13, 2008
Pool 1: Munster v ASM Clermont Auvergne 15.30
Pool 1: Montauban v Sale Sharks 19.00
Pool 3: Benetton Treviso v Ospreys 14.35
Pool 4: Harlequins v Stade Français Paris 17.30
Pool 5: Newport Gwent Dragons v Toulouse 14.30
Pool 6: Biarritz Olympique v Cardiff Blues 14.35
Pool 6: Gloucester Rugby v Rugby Calvisano 15.00
Sunday, December 14, 2008
Pool 2: London Wasps v Edinburgh 13.00
Pool 3: Perpignan v Leicester Tigers 16.00
Pool 5: Glasgow Warriors v Bath Rugby 14.00
Round Five
January 16/17/18, 2009
Pool 1: Munster v Sale Sharks
Pool 1: ASM Clermont Auvergne v Montauban
Pool 2: London Wasps v Leinster
Pool 2: Edinburgh v Castres Olympique
Pool 3: Perpignan v Ospreys
Pool 3: Leicester Tigers v Benetton Treviso
Pool 4: Llanelli Scarlets v Stade Français Paris
Pool 4: Ulster Rugby v Harlequins
Pool
5: Newport Gwent Dragons v Bath Rugby
Pool 5: Toulouse v Glasgow Warriors
Pool 6: Gloucester Rugby v Cardiff
Pool 6: Rugby Calvisano v Biarritz Olympique
Round Six
January 23/24/25, 2009
Pool 1: Sale Sharks v ASM Clermont Auvergne
Pool 1: Montauban v Munster
Pool 2: Leinster v Edinburgh
Pool 2: Castres Olympique v London Wasps
Pool 3: Ospreys v Leicester Tigers
Pool 3: Benetton Treviso v Perpignan
Pool 4: Stade Français Paris v Ulster Rugby
Pool 4: Harlequins v Llanelli Scarlets
Pool 5: Bath Rugby v Toulouse
Pool 5: Glasgow Warriors v Newport Gwent Dragons
Pool 6: Cardiff Blues v Rugby Calvisano
Pool 6: Biarritz Olympique v Gloucester Rugby
Quarterfinals: April 10/11/12, 2009
Semifinals: May 1/2/3, 2009
14th Heineken Cup Final: Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh - May 23/24, 2009
* Round Five and Six fixtures will be announced after Round Four.
With thanks to ercrugby.com
