Leinster will open their campaign for the 2022/23 Heineken Champions Cup against Racing 92 of France on the weekend of December 9th, 10th and 11th after fixtures have been announced.
Two of the tournament’s heavyweights, Munster Rugby and Stade Toulousain, who met in a memorable quarter-final last season, will renew rivalries at what is certain to be a packed-out Thomond Park.
In their opening match Ulster will visit Salford to play Sale Sharks.
Defending champions Stade Rochelais will launch the defence of their title at Stade Marcel Deflandre against another former tournament winner, Northampton Saints.
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URC winners, the Stormers, one of the now included South African clubs, will have a first competitive outing on French soil when they take on ASM Clermont Auvergne in the Stade Marcel-Michelin cauldron, while the Pretoria-based Bulls and the Sharks from Durban will be at home against Lyon and Harlequins respectively.
Reigning Gallagher Premiership champions, Leicester Tigers, will open their campaign against the Ospreys at the Swansea.com Stadium, and last season’s Top 14 winners, Montpellier Hérault Rugby, will also be on the road when they face London Irish.
The new format for the 2022/23 Champions Cup will see 24 clubs split into two pools of 12 with four pool stage rounds. The eight highest-ranked clubs from each pool will qualify for the knockout stage. The ninth and 10th ranked clubs from each pool qualify for the EPCR Challenge Cup.
Leinster’s fixtures:
v Racing 92 (a) — December 9/10
v Gloucester (h) — December 16/17/18
v Gloucester (a) — January 13/14/15
v Racing 92 (h) — January 20/21/22
Munster’s fixtures:
v Toulouse (h) — December 9/10
v Northampton (a) — December 16/17/18
v Northampton (h) — January 13/14/15
v Toulouse (a) — January 20/21/22
Ulster’s fixtures:
v Sale Sharks (a) — December 9/10
v Stade Rochelais (h) — December 16/17/18
v Stade Rochelais (a) — January 13/14/15
v Sale Sharks (h) — January 20/21/22
