Joining the only Welsh region to qualify for the top European tournament next season in Pool 3 will be Sale Sharks. Having lost their last eight games in a row in Europe it is going to be the toughest of tests of Wayne Pivac’s squad.
“After last season we’ll be looking for much improved performances and despite it being somewhat of a daunting challenge it’s also an exciting one for us as a club that is very ambitious. Toulon have a fantastic record in Europe winning finishing champions three times in the last four years,” said Pivac.
“Saracens, as Aviva Premiership champions, have set the benchmark over the last twelve months with a lot of their players in the England squad who are in form in world rugby at the moment. Sale will also be a tough opposition and have some making it a tough pool on the whole.”
Toulon, who won a hat-trick of titles between 2013-2015, were knocked-out in the quarter-final stages last season but still went on to reach the Top 14 final. They played the Scarlets in the 2014/15 campaign, winning 28-18 at home and 26-3 at Parc y Scarlets.
But while the Scarlets know they will have to be at their very best to break out of their pool, Saracens’ director of rugby Mark McCall is taking nothing for granted as hie double-winning team attempt to hold onto the title they won in Lyon. And McCall is wary of the Scarlets.
“Having Toulon in our pool is going to make things tough. But when you look at all the pools, they are all very tough – this tournament is becoming harder and harder. The Scarlets have recruited really well this summer and will have Jonathan Davies back from Clermont and have brought in Rhys Patchell,” admitted McCall.
In the Challenge Cup, Cardiff Blues won’t have to travel far after being drawn in the same pool as Bath Rugby and Bristol Rugby. The French club Pau complete Pool 4.
“It’s a massively exciting draw with two English teams and Pau, who have so many star players. It’s undoubtedly a very tough group and you only had to see the calibre of teams in Tier one to see the quality of this tournament,” said Blues head coach Danny Wilson.
“Bath will be really strong. They had a difficult year last season but they have too much quality for that to happen again and they will be targeting this competition as a route to get back into the Champions Cup.
“There are the obvious links with Bristol and myself, and also Matt Sherratt who has come in for this season, and they have achieved their long-standing target of returning to the English top flight and it’s great to be drawn with them.
“To have these big derbies against big budget teams in big stadiums is a brilliant challenge and one we are looking forward to.”
The Ospreys will be tasting life in the Challenge Cup for the first time next season and have been drawn with two French clubs, Lyon and Grenoble. Making up Pool 2 will be Newcastle Falcons.
“It’s a good draw for us, with a number of exciting and difficult challenges that will test us as a team and give the supporters some new experiences to enjoy and new teams to watch us go up against us,” said Ospreys head coach Steve Tandy.
“Lyon have invested heavily into their squad and have real strength in depth, bringing in some quality players ahead for their return to the Top14. Grenoble showed what they can do in this competition last season, winning their pool and knocking-out Connacht in the quarters before losing to Harlequins in the semis.
“Newcastle are a typical English Premiership side, physical and hard-nosed. With Dean Richards in charge, you know exactly what you are going to get, and they are growing as a team year on year.
“We’ve got a young squad, but it’s a squad that has gained some great experience over the last year or so, and they know that they need to kick on this season. Going to places like Grenoble, Lyon and Newcastle will provide them with different challenges to those they face week in, week out, in the PRO12.”
Newport Gwent Dragons head coach Kingsley Jones will be able to use some of his knowledge gained during his tenure as Russian coach when his side head to play against Enisei-STM. The Russian club side qualified for the second successive season and showed their capability last season by beating both Brive and Newcastle Falcons at home.
Joining the Dragons and Enisei in Pool 3 will be Brive and Worcester Warriors. The Dragons have reached the semi-finals of the tournament in the past two seasons.
“This is a tough pool, but we are confident that we will be able to progress through the initial stages. We want to make sure that we get as much as we can out of the pool stages this coming season,” said Jones.
“We are determined to go one better than we did last season. Over the past two years we have shown our ambition and intent.
“On a personal level it will be good to go back to Russia to see old many old faces. I know a lot about this team having worked with them and I look forward to going back.”
