Munster draw looks decidedly French
Tue, 17 Jun 2008 16:41
European champions Munster will face premiership side Sale Sharks and French clubs Clermont Auvergne and Montauban in the group stage of next season's Heineken Cup competition.
Toulouse, beaten by Munster in the 2007-8 final, will be in Pool Five with Bath, Newport Gwent Dragons and Glasgow when the action gets under way in October.
English Premiership champions Wasps were paired with Leinster, Castres and Edinburgh in Pool Two.
Pool Three sees Leicester, Perpignan, Ospreys and Treviso grouped together, with Harlequins, Stade Francais, Llanelli Scarlets and Ulster making up Pool Four.
Gloucester, Biarritz, Cardiff and Italy's Calvisano are in Pool Six.
The draw was seeded for the first time due to the new Heineken Cup rankings system which split the clubs into four tiers based on performances in the competition over the last four seasons.
Next season's Heineken Cup group stages are as follows:
Pool 1
Munster (IRL)
Sale (ENG)
Clermont Auvergne (FRA)
Montauban (FRA)
Pool 2
Wasps (ENG)
Leinster (IRL)
Castres (FRA)
Edinburgh (SCO)
Pool 3
Leicester (ENG)
Perpignan (FRA)
Ospreys (WAL)
Treviso (ITA)
Pool 4
Stade Francais (FRA)
Llanelli (WAL)
Ulster (IRL)
Harlequins (ENG)
Pool 5
Toulouse (FRA)
Bath (ENG)
Newport Gwent Dragons (WAL)
Glasgow (SCO)
Pool 6
Biarritz (FRA)
Gloucester (ENG)
Cardiff (WAL)
Calvisano (ITA)
AFP
