It has been a strangely subdued start to the season for the four Irish provinces.
While Ireland enjoyed a November to remember, beating the All Blacks as part of a three-Test cleansweep, all was quiet on the domestic front.
But now provincial duty takes precedence once again, and this weekend sees the return of Europe and the Champions Cup.
Leinster, Munster, Connacht and Ulster are all dining at the continent’s top table, in a tournament which is already being impacted by the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.
The competition retains the alien format which was introduced last year - more on that later - but will still provide the Irish sides, particularly Leinster, with their truest tests of the season.
And with winter derby matches to follow the opening two rounds of European action, now is the time for the provinces to really get firing.
Here is everything you need to know, as the Champions Cup gets underway.
What is it?
The opening weekend of the 2021-22 Champions Cup.
When is it?
The first round of fixtures will be played across Friday December 10th, 11th and 12th.
How can I watch it?
All of the tournament’s fixtures will be shown live on BT Sport, with one game every weekend - the early slot on a Saturday - shown free-to-air by Virgin Media and Channel 4. You will also be able to follow most of the action via our liveblogs - we will be bringing you Leinster’s clash with Bath from 2.30pm on Saturday.
How does it work?
The 2020-21 tournament was severely disrupted by Covid-19 and as a result a new format was introduced, which has been retained this season.
There are 24 teams - eight each from the Pro14, English Premiership and Top 14 - which have been divided into two pools of 12.
Each side will play four pool matches each, two at home and two away. The eight highest-ranked sides in each pool will progress to a two-legged last-16, followed by quarter-finals, semis and the final.
What are the pools?
Pool A
ASM Clermont Auvergne
Bath
Exeter Chiefs
Glasgow Warriors
Leinster
Montpellier
Northampton Saints
Ospreys
Racing 92
Sale Sharks
Ulster
La Rochelle
Pool B
Bristol Bears
Cardiff Blues
Castres Olympique
Connacht
Harlequins
Leicester Tigers
Munster
Stade Francais
Bordeaux-Begles
Wasps
Scarlets
Toulouse
What are the fixtures?
All kick-off times Irish. All games live on BT Sport.
Round One
Tuesday December 7th
Bristol Bears 28 Scarlets 0, Ashton Gate, (Scarlets forfeit)
Friday December 10th
Northampton Saints v Racing 92, Franklin’s Gardens, 8pm
Saturday December 11th
Cardiff Blues v Toulouse, Cardiff Arms Park, 1pm (Virgin Media/Channel 4)
Bordeaux-Begles v Leicester Tigers, Stade Chaban-Delmas, 3.15pm
Leinster v Bath, Aviva Stadium, 3.15pm
Clermont v Ulster, Stade Marcel-Michelin, 5.30pm
Exeter Chiefs v Montpellier, Sandy Park, 8pm
Sunday December 12th
Ospreys v Sale Sharks, Liberty Stadium, 1pm
Connacht v Stade Francais, The Sportsground, 1pm
Wasps v Munster, Ricoh Arena, 3.15pm
La Rochelle v Glasgow Warriors, Stade Marcel Deflandre, 3.15pm
Castres v Harlequins, Stade Pierre Fabre, 5.30pm
Round Two
Friday December 17th
Montpellier v Leinster, GGL Stadium, 8pm
Ulster v Northampton Saints, Kingspan Stadium, 8pm
Saturday December 18th
Harlequins v Cardiff, Twickenham Stoop, 1pm (Virgin Media/Channel 4)
Bath v La Rochelle, The Rec, 1pm
Sale Sharks v Clermont, AJ Bell Stadium, 3.15pm
Racing 92 v Ospreys, La Defense Arena, 5.30pm
Glasgow Warriors v Exeter Chiefs, Scotstoun, 5.30pm
Munster v Castres, Thomond Park, 8pm
Sunday December 19th
Leicester Tigers v Connacht, Welford Road, 1pm
Scarlets v Bordeaux-Begles, Parc Y Scarlets, 1pm
Toulouse v Wasps, Stade Ernest Wallon, 3.15pm
Stade Francais v Bristol Bears, Stade Jean Bouin, 5.30pm
Round Three
Friday January 14th
Cardiff v Harlequins, Cardiff Arms Park, 8pm
Castres v Munster, Stade Pierre Fabre, 8pm
Saturday January 15th
Wasps v Toulouse, Ricoh Arena, 1pm (Virgin Media/Channel 4)
Ospreys v Racing 92, Liberty Stadium, 3.15pm
Connacht v Leicester, The Sportsground, 3.15pm
Exeter Chiefs v Glasgow Warriors, 5.30pm
La Rochelle v Bath, Stade Marcel Deflandre, 5.30pm
Bristol Bears v Stade Francais, Ashton Gate, 8pm
Sunday January 16th
Leinster v Montpellier, RDS Arena, 1pm
Northampton Saints, Franklin’s Gardens, 3.15pm
Bordeaux v Scarlets, Stade Chaban-Delmas, 3.15pm
Clermont v Sale Sharks, Stade Marcel-Michelin, 5.30pm
Round Four
Friday January 21st
Harlequins v Castres, Twickenham Stoop, 8pm
Saturday January 22nd
Bath v Leinster, The Rec, 1pm (Virgin Media/Channel 4)
Toulouse v Cardiff Blues, Stade Ernest Wallon, 1pm
Leicester v Bordeaux-Begles, Welford Road, 3.15pm
Ulster v Clermont, Kingspan Stadium, 5.30pm
Scarlets v Bristol Bears, Parc y Scarlets, 5.30pm
Glasgow Warriors v La Rochelle, Scotstoun, 8pm
Sunday January 23rd
Sale Sharks v Ospreys, AJ Bell Stadium, 1pm
Stade Francais v Connacht, Stade Jean Bouin, 1pm
Racing 92 v Northampton Saints, La Defense Arena, 3.15pm
Munster v Wasps, Thomond Park, 3.15pm
Montpellier v Exeter Chiefs, GGL Stadium, 5.30pm
Knockout dates
April 8th-10th - Last-16 first leg
April 15th-17th - Last-16 second leg
May 6th-8th - Quarter-finals
May 13th-15th - Semi-finals
Friday May 27th - Final
Covid-19 disruption
The United Rugby Championship, which sees the inclusion of four South African sides alongside the usual suspects from the Pro14, always seemed like a daft premise in the midst of a pandemic.
The discovery of the Omicron variant in South Africa left Munster stranded waiting to return to Ireland, with Cardiff and the Scarlets also heavily affected.
Indeed, the Scarlets have had to forfeit their opening fixture away to Bristol with 32 of their players in quarantine in a hotel in Ulster - meaning Pat Lam’s side are awarded a 28-0 walkover.
Munster’s trip to play Wasps however, is set to go ahead. . .
One of Munster’s finest hours?
Munster often save their best days for the European Cup, and victory over Wasps in Coventry on Sunday would rank as one of the most improbable.
The province have had to register 22 new players this week - all of them aged 21 or younger - with 14 of their travelling party having to stay in South Africa after testing positive for coronavirus, and the rest currently in isolation.
However a core of seasoned pros including nine internationals are still available - and the likes of Peter O’Mahony often thrive in adversity.
The Ireland flanker said this week: “”I think I trained with a guy who was born in 2004 the other day, Earlsie could have been his father we reckoned!
“I wouldn’t have come across him, there’s guys just out of school, but to see some of the talent that’s come on is incredible. It’s really encouraging for the club.”
Can I go?
As it stands sporting events in Ireland remain at full capacity. You can buy tickets for Leinster's clash with Bath here, and there are still tickets available for Connacht's opener against Stade Francais here.
There are currently also full attendances allowed in both England and France. Travelling supporters from Ireland do not need a test to enter either if they are fully vaccinated, but would require proof of a negative PCR or antigen test when returning.
What happened last year?
Toulouse stitched a fifth star onto their chests after a 22-17 win over Ronan O’Gara’s La Rochelle at Twickenham, with up to 10,000 supporters allowed to attend. Due to the pandemic each side only played two pool fixtures each, with Leinster then receiving a bye into the quarter-finals after Toulon were hit by a Covid outbreak. The four-time winners beat Exeter 34-22 in the last-eight but were blown away by La Rochelle in the semis, losing 32-23.
Who are the favourites to win it?
Last year’s winners Toulouse are fancied to retain their crown - but Leinster won’t be far away according to the bookies.
Toulouse 7-2
Leinster 9-2
La Rochelle 15-2
Exeter Chiefs 9-1
Racing 92 9-1
Bordeaux 18-1
Clermont 22-1
Leicester Tigers 25-1
Munster 25-1
Harlequins 25-1
BAR 40-1
The road to Marseille
This year’s final will finally be held at Marseille’s Stade Velodrome - maybe see you there in May?
