Leicester Tigers will face Connacht and Bordeaux-Bègles in the pool stages of the 2021/22 Heineken Champions Cup.
After two seasons in the Challenge Cup – featuring a run to the semi-finals in 2020 and a place in the final earlier this year – Tigers return to the top-flight competition in Europe for the new campaign.
The 24 teams are drawn into two pools of 12, with the top eight in each qualifying for the knockout stages.
Following the draw, which was performed in Lausanne, Switzerland, this afternoon, Tigers will play home-and-away fixtures against Connacht and Bordeaux-Bègles. The tournament’s opening two rounds are scheduled to be played in the build-up to Christmas with two more pool-stage weekends in January.
Fixture kick-off dates and times will be confirmed later this summer by organisers EPCR.
After meeting for a first time in European competition only this April, when the home team won a high-scoring Challenge Cup encounter at Mattioli Woods Welford Road (48-32), Tigers and Connacht meet again in Europe’s top-flight competition.
The Irish province finished in second place in their PRO14 conference in 2020/21 behind Munster, picking up 13 bonus points in 16 outings from 8 wins and 8 defeats.
While Connacht and Bayonne were first-time rivals for Tigers over the last two seasons, they will break new ground against Bordeaux-Bègles in 2021/22.
Bordeaux-Bègles finished fourth in France’s Top14 last season with one of the tightest defensive records in the league and beat Northampton away, Dragons, Bristol Bears and Racing 92 to reach the semi-finals of the Champions Cup for the first time.
Home games in the Heineken Champions Cup are included in Tigers season tickets alongside games in the Gallagher Premiership, Premiership Rugby Cup and the pre-season fixture against the Scarlets. For more details of season tickets, click here.
Match ticket details will be confirmed later this summer.
For all matchday hospitality enquiries, phone the Tigers Sales team on 0116 2171 215.
Heineken Champions Cup draw
Pool A (with opponents in brackets)
- Stade Rochelais (Bath Rugby, Glasgow Warriors)
- Exeter Chiefs (Montpellier Hérault Rugby, Glasgow Warriors)
- Leinster Rugby (Montpellier Hérault Rugby, Bath Rugby)
- Racing 92 (Northampton Saints, Ospreys)
- Sale Sharks (ASM Clermont Auvergne, Ospreys)
- Ulster Rugby (ASM Clermont Auvergne, Northampton Saints)
- ASM Clermont Auvergne (Sale Sharks, Ulster Rugby)
- Northampton Saints (Racing 92, Ulster Rugby)
- Ospreys (Racing 92, Sale Sharks)
- Montpellier Hérault Rugby (Exeter Chiefs, Leinster Rugby)
- Bath Rugby (Stade Rochelais, Leinster Rugby)
- Glasgow Warriors (Stade Rochelais, Exeter Chiefs)
Pool B (with opponents in brackets)
- Stade Toulousain (Wasps, Cardiff Rugby)
- Harlequins (Castres Olympique, Cardiff Rugby)
- Munster Rugby (Castres Olympique, Wasps)
- Union Bordeaux-Bègles (Leicester Tigers, Scarlets)
- Bristol Bears (Stade Français Paris, Scarlets)
- Connacht Rugby (Stade Français Paris, Leicester Tigers)
- Stade Français Paris (Bristol Bears, Connacht Rugby)
- Leicester Tigers (Union Bordeaux-Bègles, Connacht Rugby)
- Scarlets (Union Bordeaux-Bègles, Bristol Bears)
- Castres Olympique (Harlequins, Munster Rugby)
- Wasps (Stade Toulousain, Munster Rugby)
- Cardiff Rugby (Stade Toulousain, Harlequins)
