The Dragons have arguably the toughest task. They are pooled with last season’s beaten finalists Toulouse, European Challenge Cup winners Bath, and rugged Scottish outfit Glasgow Warriors.
Heineken Cup champions Munster will face Sale Sharks, ASM Clermont Auvergne and Montauban in Pool 1 following the Pool draw for the 14th season of European club rugby’s premier tournament, which kicks-off on the weekend of 10/11/12th October, 2008.
The draw was conducted using the new merit-based ERC European Ranking system based on the qualified teams’ performances over the past four seasons in the Heineken Cup and knock-out stages of the European Challenge Cup.
The 24 teams who have qualified for the 2008-2009 competition were graded into four Tiers of six teams each with each of the six Pools having one team from each of the four Tier levels.
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 Francais 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
