Leicester Tigers have been drawn alongside Munster Rugby, Racing 92 and Castres Olympique in the pool stages of the European Rugby Champions Cup in 2017/18.
Winners in 2001 and 2002, and finalists on three other occasions, Tigers will be participating in a 21st season of elite European competition during the new campaign.
The draw, featuring seven English qualifiers, six from France and seven from the four countries represented in the Pro12, was conducted by tournament organisers EPCR in Neuchatel, Switzerland, this afternoon.
The 20 teams from six countries are drawn in five pools of four with the pool winners plus the three best runners-up qualifying for the knockout stages next season.
Munster were drawn as the Tier One team in the Tigers pool, with the teams meeting for a second consecutive season in the Champions Cup. Like Tigers, they are two-time winners of the European Cup.
After celebrating memorable wins over Munster home and away in 2015/16 – becoming the first visitors to win twice at Thomond Park in Europe – Tigers were heavily beaten on their return to Limerick last season but won the home game with a last-minute long-range penalty from Owen Williams.
In the emotional aftermath of the death of former captain and coach Anthony Foley, Munster finished top of the Guinness Pro12 table in 2016/17 and beat Ospreys in the semi-finals at Thomond Park but lost to the Scarlets in the Final.
Tigers and Munster were also in the same pool as Racing 92 in 2015/16.
Racing finished sixth in the Top14 season and secured the last play-off place. They beat Montpellier away in the first knockout round but then lost 37-31 at Clermont in the semi-finals.
Tigers and Castres have never met in European competition, although the French side were drawn against East Midlands neighbours Northampton Saints in four successive seasons of their qualification in recent years.
There are, though, some familiar faces in the Castres squad in Steve Mafi and Horacio Agulla who were both big favourites in their time at Welford Road.
The opening round of the European Cup season in on October 13/14/15. Order of fixtures, dates and times will be confirmed later this summer following consultation between tournament organisers EPCR and their broadcast partners. Ticket details for Tigers fixtures will be confirmed when these details are announced.
All home fixtures in the pool stages of the Champions Cup are included in Tigers season tickets.
European Champions Cup draw
Pool 1: Wasps, La Rochelle, Ulster Rugby, Harlequins
Pool 2: ASM Clermont Auvergne, Saracens, Ospreys, Northampton Saints
Pool 3: Exeter Chiefs, Leinster Rugby, Montpellier, Glasgow Warriors
Pool 4: Munster Rugby, Racing 92, Leicester Tigers, Castres Olympique
Pool 5: Scarlets, Toulon, Bath Rugby, Benetton Treviso
European Challenge Cup draw
Pool 1: Newcastle Falcons, Newport Gwent Dragons, Bordeaux-Begles, Enisei-STM
Pool 2: Cardiff Blues, Sale Sharks, Lyon, Toulouse
Pool 3: Gloucester Rugby, Pau, Zebre, Agen
Pool 4: Stade Francais Paris, Edinburgh Rugby, London Irish, Krasny Yar
Pool 5: Brive, Connacht Rugby, Worcester Warriors, Oyonnax
European Champions Cup weekends
Oct 13/14/15: Round 1
Oct 20/21/22: Round 2
Dec 8/9/10: Round 3
Dec 15/16/17: Round 4
Jan 12/13/14: Round 5
Jan 19/20/21: Round 6
Mar 30/31/Apr 1: Quarter-Finals
Apr 20/21/22: Semi-Finals
May 12: Final in Bilbao, Spain
Winners in 2001 and 2002, and finalists on three other occasions, Tigers will be participating in a 21st season of elite European competition during the new campaign.
The draw, featuring seven English qualifiers, six from France and seven from the four countries represented in the Pro12, was conducted by tournament organisers EPCR in Neuchatel, Switzerland, this afternoon.
The 20 teams from six countries are drawn in five pools of four with the pool winners plus the three best runners-up qualifying for the knockout stages next season.
Munster were drawn as the Tier One team in the Tigers pool, with the teams meeting for a second consecutive season in the Champions Cup. Like Tigers, they are two-time winners of the European Cup.
After celebrating memorable wins over Munster home and away in 2015/16 – becoming the first visitors to win twice at Thomond Park in Europe – Tigers were heavily beaten on their return to Limerick last season but won the home game with a last-minute long-range penalty from Owen Williams.
In the emotional aftermath of the death of former captain and coach Anthony Foley, Munster finished top of the Guinness Pro12 table in 2016/17 and beat Ospreys in the semi-finals at Thomond Park but lost to the Scarlets in the Final.
Tigers and Munster were also in the same pool as Racing 92 in 2015/16.
Racing finished sixth in the Top14 season and secured the last play-off place. They beat Montpellier away in the first knockout round but then lost 37-31 at Clermont in the semi-finals.
Tigers and Castres have never met in European competition, although the French side were drawn against East Midlands neighbours Northampton Saints in four successive seasons of their qualification in recent years.
There are, though, some familiar faces in the Castres squad in Steve Mafi and Horacio Agulla who were both big favourites in their time at Welford Road.
The opening round of the European Cup season in on October 13/14/15. Order of fixtures, dates and times will be confirmed later this summer following consultation between tournament organisers EPCR and their broadcast partners. Ticket details for Tigers fixtures will be confirmed when these details are announced.
All home fixtures in the pool stages of the Champions Cup are included in Tigers season tickets.
European Champions Cup draw
Pool 1: Wasps, La Rochelle, Ulster Rugby, Harlequins
Pool 2: ASM Clermont Auvergne, Saracens, Ospreys, Northampton Saints
Pool 3: Exeter Chiefs, Leinster Rugby, Montpellier, Glasgow Warriors
Pool 4: Munster Rugby, Racing 92, Leicester Tigers, Castres Olympique
Pool 5: Scarlets, Toulon, Bath Rugby, Benetton Treviso
European Challenge Cup draw
Pool 1: Newcastle Falcons, Newport Gwent Dragons, Bordeaux-Begles, Enisei-STM
Pool 2: Cardiff Blues, Sale Sharks, Lyon, Toulouse
Pool 3: Gloucester Rugby, Pau, Zebre, Agen
Pool 4: Stade Francais Paris, Edinburgh Rugby, London Irish, Krasny Yar
Pool 5: Brive, Connacht Rugby, Worcester Warriors, Oyonnax
European Champions Cup weekends
Oct 13/14/15: Round 1
Oct 20/21/22: Round 2
Dec 8/9/10: Round 3
Dec 15/16/17: Round 4
Jan 12/13/14: Round 5
Jan 19/20/21: Round 6
Mar 30/31/Apr 1: Quarter-Finals
Apr 20/21/22: Semi-Finals
May 12: Final in Bilbao, Spain
