Neath face double and reigning champions Leicester Tigers at the Gnoll in perhaps the toughest match for the Welsh clubs in the first round.
But neither Swansea’s visit to French club Montferrand nor Newport’s trip to Edinburgh can be deemed an easy start.
Llanelli, the most successful Welsh club in Europe last season, will welcome the ‘devil they know’ from the Welsh/Scottish league, Glasgow, to Stradey Park and Cardiff will pit their wits against French club Biarritz at the Arms Park on the second weekend in October.
The full fixtures are as follows…
THE POOLS
POOL 1:
Leicester Tigers, Amatori & Calvisano, Neath, Beziers
POOL 2:
Viadana, Munster, Gloucester, Perpignan
POOL 3:
Llanelli, Glasgow Rugby, Sale Sharks, Bourgoin
POOL 4:
Leinster, Montferrand, Bristol Shoguns,Swansea
POOL 5:
Edinburgh Rugby, Toulouse, Newport, London Irish
POOL 6:
Biarritz Olympique, Ulster, Cardiff, Northampton Saints
THE DATES
ROUND 1: 11/12/13 October
ROUND 2: 18/19/20 October
ROUND 3: 6/7/8 December
ROUND 4: 13/14/15 December
ROUND 5: 10/11/12 January, 2003
ROUND 6: 17/18/19 January
Quarter-finals: 11/12/13 April
Semi-finals: 26/27 April
HEINEKEN CUP FINAL: 24 May
THE FIXTURES
ROUND 1 – 11/12/13 October
Pool 1:
Amatori & Calvisano v Beziers,
Neath v Leicester Tigers
Pool 2:
Gloucester v Munster,
Perpignan v Viadana
Pool 3:
Llanelli v Glasgow Rugby,
Sale Sharks v Bourgoin
Pool 4:
Montferrand v Swansea,
Leinster v Bristol Shoguns
Pool 5:
Toulouse v London Irish,
Edinburgh Rugby v Newport
Pool 6:
Cardiff v Biarritz Olympique, Northampton Saints v Ulster
ROUND 2 – 18/19/20 October
Pool 1:
Leicester Tigers v Amatori & Calvisano, Beziers v Neath
Pool 2:
Viadana v Gloucester,
Munster v Perpignan
Pool 3:
Glasgow Rugby v Sale Sharks,
Bourgoin v Llanelli
Pool 4:
Bristol Shoguns v Montferrand,
Swansea v Leinster
Pool 5:
London Irish v Edinburgh Rugby,
Newport v Toulouse
Pool 6:
Ulster v Cardiff,
Biarritz Olympique v Northampton Saints
ROUND 3 – 06/07/08 December
Pool 1:
Beziers v Leicester Tigers,
Amatori & Calvisano v Neath
Pool 2:
Munster v Viadana,
Gloucester v Perpignan
Pool 3:
Sale Sharks v Llanelli,
Bourgoin v Glasgow Rugby
Pool 4:
Montferrand v Leinster,
Swansea v Bristol Shoguns
Pool 5:
Edinburgh Rugby v Toulouse,
Newport v London Irish
Pool 6:
Ulster v Biarritz Olympique, Northampton Saints v Cardiff
ROUND 4 – 13/14/15 December
Pool 1:
Leicester Tigers v Beziers,
Neath v Amatori & Calvisano
Pool 2:
Viadana v Munster,
Perpignan v Gloucester
Pool 3:
Llanelli v Sale Sharks,
Glasgow Rugby v Bourgoin
Pool 4:
Bristol Shoguns v Swansea,
Leinster v Montferrand
Pool 5:
Toulouse v Edinburgh Rugby,
London Irish v Newport
Pool 6:
Cardiff v Northampton Saints,
Biarritz Olympique v Ulster
ROUND 5 – 10/11/12 January, 2003
Pool 1:
Neath v Beziers,
Amatori & Calvisano v Leicester Tigers
Pool 2:
Perpignan v Munster,
Gloucester v Viadana
Pool 3:
Llanelli v Bourgoin,
Sale Sharks v Glasgow Rugby
Pool 4:
Leinster v Swansea,
Montferrand v Bristol Shoguns
Pool 5:
Toulouse v Newport,
Edinburgh Rugby v London Irish
Pool 6:
Cardiff v Ulster,
Northampton Saints v Biarritz Olympique
ROUND 6 – 17/18/19 January
Pool 1:
Leicester Tigers v Neath,
Beziers v Amatori & Calvisano
Pool 2:
Viadana v Perpignan,
Munster v Gloucester
Pool 3:
Bourgoin v Sale Sharks,
Glasgow Rugby v Llanelli
Pool 4:
Bristol Shoguns v Leinster,
Swansea v Montferrand
Pool 5:
Newport v Edinburgh Rugby,
London Irish v Toulouse
Pool 6:
Biarritz Olympique v Cardiff,
Ulster v Northampton Saints
