RUGBY/Rugby European Cup: Munster have never taken the view that there are easy Heineken European Cup matches. With that mindset in place the champions are not likely to bemoan the fact that they have been given one of the most difficult opening games of this season's competition.
Munster will launch their defence of the cup with a challenging trip to former double winners Leicester Tigers in a Pool 4 meeting of past and present champions. Welford Road awaits Declan Kidney and his team on Sunday, October 22nd, for a 3pm kick-off.
Kidney might rightly see it from the point of view of Leicester getting the raw deal in having to face the European champions in their first pool match of the season.
But whatever way he looks at it, travelling to the home of the 2001 and 2002 champions for their first tournament game as holders of European club rugby's most coveted trophy is a tough opener for any side.
Leicester Tigers make the return trip to the Thomond Park fortress in round six of the competition, which is in late January next year.
Bourgoin and Cardiff are the other two teams in the group.
Michael Cheika and his Leinster side have a more straightforward opening, in Dublin against the English side Gloucester. Sharing a group with Gloucester, Agen, who return to the competition after a two-year absence, and Edinburgh Gunners, Leinster start in Donnybrook before travelling to Murrayfield for their round-two game against the top Scottish side.
Cheika, in place for his second season and having recruited over the summer, will be looking to open with a win. There's also a double header before Christmas against Agen before Leinster round off the group with a home game against Edinburgh, likely venue Donnybrook, and a trip to Kingsholm.
Sharing a group with Toulouse, London Irish and Llanelli Scarlets, Ulster again have to try to perform from the beginning to have any hope of getting to the play-off stages. The must-win-at-home rule of thumb means a big ask in their Pool 5 opening match against Trevor Brennan and his Toulouse team-mates.
Ravenhill Road has been a fortress for visiting sides over the years, and coach Mark McCall may well take the view that getting the three-times cup winners in Belfast, first game up, is the best time to play the French side.
English champions Sale Sharks are on the road and take on the Ospreys at the Liberty Stadium in Pool 3 on the opening night, while French champions Biarritz Olympique will have home advantage against the 2000 cup winners, Northampton Saints, in Pool 6.
Top Welsh seeds Cardiff Blues are on the road to France to tackle Bourgoin in Munster's group, with the Italian standard bearers Benetton Treviso at home to Perpignan.
Staying with Italy, Overmach Rugby Parma, who come into the competition for the first time, get their first taste of European Cup action away to Border Reivers in Pool 6.
Pools and fixtures
Pool 1: Benetton Treviso, Perpignan, London Wasps, Castres Olympique.
Pool 2: Edinburgh Gunners, Agen, Gloucester Rugby, Leinster.
Pool 3: Sale Sharks, Stade Français Paris, Rugby Calvisano, Ospreys.
Pool 4: Cardiff Blues, Bourgoin, Leicester Tigers, Munster.
Pool 5: Ulster Rugby, Toulouse, London Irish, Llanelli Scarlets.
Pool 6: Biarritz Olympique, Northampton Saints, Overmach Rugby Parma, Border Reivers.
FIXTURES (All kick-off times local)
ROUND 1
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 20th - Pool 2: Agen v Edinburgh Gunners 7.30; Pool 3: Ospreys v Sale Sharks 7.30; Pool 6 Border Reivers v Overmach Rugby Parma 7.30.
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 21st - Pool 1: Benetton Treviso v Perpignan 2.0; Pool 2: Leinster v Gloucester Rugby 5.30; Pool 3: Rugby Calvisano v Stade Français Paris 2.00; Pool 4: Bourgoin v Cardiff Blues 4.30; Pool 5: Ulster Rugby v Toulouse 1.35; Pool 5: London Irish v Llanelli Scarlets 3.00.
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 22nd - Pool 1: London Wasps v Castres Olympique 1.00; Pool 4: Leicester Tigers v Munster 3.00; Pool 6: Biarritz Olympique v Northampton Saints 4.00.
ROUND 2
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 27th - Pool 1: Castres Olympique v Benetton Treviso 8.30; Pool 3: Sale Sharks v Rugby Calvisano 7.45; Pool 5: Llanelli Scarlets v Ulster Rugby 7.30.
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 28th - Pool 1: Perpignan v London Wasps 4.30; Pool 2: Gloucester Rugby v Agen 3.00; Pool 3: Stade Français Rugby v Ospreys 2.35; Pool 4: Munster v Bourgoin 5.30; Pool 6: Northampton Saints v Border Reivers 3.30; Pool 6: Overmach Rugby Parma v Biarritz Olympique 2.00.
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 29th - Pool 2: Edinburgh Gunners v Leinster 1.00; Pool 4: Cardiff Blues v Leicester Tigers 3.00; Pool 5: Toulouse v London Irish 4.00
ROUND 3
FRIDAY, DECEMBER: Pool 4: Bourgoin v Leicester Tigers 8.30.
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 9th: Pool 1: Castres Olympique v Perpignan 4.30; Pool 2: Leinster v Agen 5.30; Pool 2: Gloucester Rugby v Edinburgh Gunners 3.00; Pool 3: Rugby Calvisano v Ospreys 2.00; Pool 5: Llanelli Scarlets v Toulouse 3.00; London Irish v Ulster Rugby 3.30; Pool 6: Border Reivers v Biarritz Olympique 1.35; Overmach Rugby Parma v Northampton Saints 2.00.
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 10th - Pool 1: London Wasps v Benetton Treviso 3.00; Pool 3: Stade Français Paris v Sale Sharks 4.00; Pool 4: Cardiff Blues v Munster 1.00.
ROUND 4
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 15th - Pool 1: Perpignan v Castres Olympique 8.30; Pool 3: Ospreys v Rugby Calvisano 7.30; Pool 5: Ulster Rugby v London Irish 7.30.
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 16th - Pool 1: Benetton Treviso v London Wasps 2.00; Pool 2: Agen v Leinster 4.30; Pool 4: Munster v Cardiff Blues 5.30, Leicester Tigers v Bourgoin 2.45; Pool 5: Toulouse v Llanelli Scarlets 2.35; Pool 6: Northampton Saints v Overmach Rugby Parma 3.00.
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 17th - Pool 2: Edinburgh Gunners v Gloucester Rugby 1.00; Pool 3: Sale Sharks v Stade Français Paris 3.00; Pool 6: Biarritz Olympique v Border Reivers 2.00.
ROUND 5
JANUARY 12th/13th/14th, 2007 - Pool 1: Benetton Treviso v Castres Olympique; Pool 1: London Wasps v Perpignan; Pool 2: Agen v Gloucester Rugby, Leinster v Edinburgh Gunners; Pool 3: Ospreys v Stade Français Paris, Rugby Calvisano v Sale Sharks; Pool 4: Leicester Tigers v Cardiff Blues, Bourgoin v Munster; Pool 5: Ulster Rugby v Llanelli Scarlets, London Irish v Toulouse; Pool 6: Biarritz Olympique v Overmach Rugby Parma, Border Reivers v Northampton Saints
ROUND 6
JANUARY 19th/20th/21st - Pool 1: Castres Olympique v London Wasps; Pool 1: Perpignan v Benetton Treviso; Pool 2: Gloucester Rugby v Leinster; Pool 2: Edinburgh Gunners v Agen; Pool 3: StadeFrançais Paris v Rugby Calvisano, Sale Sharks v Ospreys; Pool 4: Cardiff Blues v Bourgoin, Munster v Leicester Tigers; Pool 5: Llanelli v London Irish, Toulouse v Ulster Rugby; Pool 6: Overmach Rugby Parma v Border Reivers, Northampton v Biarritz Olympique.
Quarter-finals: March 30th, 31st/April 1st
Semi-finals: April 20th, 21st, 22nd.
Final: May 19th/20th, Twickenham Stadium
