The Blues will play their first European match at their Cardiff City Stadium against Harlequins, while the Scarlets will begin their campaign by welcoming Brive to west Wales.
Leinster will launch the defence of their Heineken Cup title against London Irish on the evening of Friday 9, October 2009 at the RDS in Dublin in what will be their first meeting in Europe’s premier club rugby tournament
The fixtures, dates, kick-off times and host broadcasters for the first four Rounds of the 15th edition of the Heineken Cup were today (Thursday, 23 July) announced by ERC, the tournament organisers.
Leo Cullen’s champions then travel to France to clash with 1997 winners Brive in another tournament first meeting before their quick-fire back-to-back contests with more familiar opponents the Scarlets.
Former double champions Leicester Tigers, beaten 19-16 in the 2009 final at Murrayfield two months ago, open their challenge in the Heineken Cup 2009/10 at the revamped 24,000-capacity Welford Road against the Ospreys in a carbon copy start to last season’s campaign.
While the English champions have the bonus of a home start, French champions Perpignan begin on the road against top Italian club Benetton Treviso with Heineken Cup 2009 semi-finalists Cardiff Blues home to Harlequins and Munster travelling to Northampton Saints in yet another clash of former tournament winners.
