European fixtures to be drawn on 17th June!

[Christophelp]

If Munster Drawn in Pot 2

Pot 1: Saracens, Glasgow, Stade, Bath, Clermont
Pot 2: Munster, Northampton, Ospreys, Toulon, Ulster
Pot 3: Leicester, Toulouse, Leinster, Exeter, Racing Metro
Pot 4: Scarlets, Wasps, Treviso, Bordeaux, Oyonnax

If Bath Drawn in Pot 2

Pot 1: Saracens, Glasgow, Stade, Munster, Clermont
Pot 2: Bath, Northampton, Ospreys, Toulon, Leicester
Pot 3: Ulster, Toulouse, Leinster, Exeter, Racing Metro
Pot 4: Scarlets, Wasps, Treviso, Bordeaux, Oyonnax

If Clermont Drawn in Pot 2

Pot 1: Saracens, Glasgow, Stade, Bath, Munster
Pot 2: Clermont, Northampton, Ospreys, Toulon, Toulouse
Pot 3: Leicester, Ulster, Leinster, Exeter, Racing Metro
Pot 4: Scarlets, Wasps, Treviso, Bordeaux, Oyonnax

No more than 1 team from a particular league in a group in the 1st 3 pots, i.e. Glasgow (1) Clermont (2) Leicester (3). Pot 4 is open and any of the teams can be drawn.

There's one subtle exception to the sentence in bold - Scarlets cannot be drawn into the same pool as Ospreys.

[neill_m]

Indeed you are quite right re the Scarlets.

[ourla]

Point me to the last English winner.

The last English winner was Wasps in 2007. But the last English finalist was in 2014 and Saints before that in 2011 and ourselves in 2009. Not sure what your point is? English teams have shown themselves capable of getting to the business end of the competition. If winning is all that counts then yes English teams have a poor record in the last 8 seasons.

Unfortunately, French and (decreasingly so) Irish sides stand a greater chance of success, for a plethora of reasons. That's plainly evident.

The French have a bit more money and have, currently, seemingly abandoned any attempts to keep their national team up to standard. What other reasons are there? I don't buy they aren't beatable because of it.

Whilst we may have managed to compete comparatively well, the statistics aren't lying on this one.

Tigers record has been decent and no more in recent years. We have missed chances to qualify or to get home knock out draws not because of our ability but because we have not performed to our ability. If we have a competition where we can get it right from the beginning we can get much further. Other English teams, Saracens in particular, have performed to standard and done well.

The Premiership is, and should be, our priority. Success and progress in Europe is exciting and something we all want to see, but the pragmatist in us should recognise it as a lovely bonus.

Depends what you deem to be progress and success. I don't think it's a bonus to get to the QF.

My favourite thing about European games is the occasion. Surely we all prefer the big occasions and the pulsating nights at Welford Road ahead of some routine comfortable win over Treviso? Hence why I'd love to see Clermont and Munster this season.

I'd like Treviso in the group stages, Munster at home in the QF and Clermont at home in SF thank you very much.

[Cagey Tiger]

If Munster Drawn in Pot 2

Pot 1: Saracens, Glasgow, Stade, Bath, Clermont
Pot 2: Munster, Northampton, Ospreys, Toulon, Ulster
Pot 3: Leicester, Toulouse, Leinster, Exeter, Racing Metro
Pot 4: Scarlets, Wasps, Treviso, Bordeaux, Oyonnax

If Bath Drawn in Pot 2

Pot 1: Saracens, Glasgow, Stade, Munster, Clermont
Pot 2: Bath, Northampton, Ospreys, Toulon, Leicester
Pot 3: Ulster, Toulouse, Leinster, Exeter, Racing Metro
Pot 4: Scarlets, Wasps, Treviso, Bordeaux, Oyonnax

If Clermont Drawn in Pot 2

Pot 1: Saracens, Glasgow, Stade, Bath, Munster
Pot 2: Clermont, Northampton, Ospreys, Toulon, Toulouse
Pot 3: Leicester, Ulster, Leinster, Exeter, Racing Metro
Pot 4: Scarlets, Wasps, Treviso, Bordeaux, Oyonnax

No more than 1 team from a particular league in a group in the 1st 3 pots, i.e. Glasgow (1) Clermont (2) Leicester (3). Pot 4 is open and any of the teams can be drawn.

I looked through this to see if any particular option might be preferable. Not that I can see . To me, the top 3 tiers are full of teams that will be very difficult to beat away and provide a stiff challenge at home. No disrespect to Exeter but with their lack of HEC/Champions Cup experience, they are probably the "weakest" (I use the term advisedly!) and we cannot get them.

So looks like for all groups that winning your home games and beating pot 4 team home and away as a rough minimum to stand a chance of qualifying. Plus lots of bonus points to get a home QF. In the words of Private Fraser "We're doomed, doomed I say"

Would like a trip to Oyonnax as it's somewhere different and from what I have seen it looks a nice ground. No idea what the town is like or how easy it is to get there.

[Iain]

Yeah on the face of it there are very few weak opponents there. I guess that's the nature of the restructuring of the competition. Treviso are Treviso, won't cause anyone too many headaches. Oyon or Bordeaux are relative unknowns.

If we accept it will be tough any which way then I maintain I want the ones with the best fans. Perhaps Munster, Clermont and Treviso would be a nice group!

[jgriffin]

By the times it's played the landscape may be even more distorted given the buying sprees going on, and the mysterious disappearance of the cap issue (till it is dumped probably).

[Tenax]

Apologies for possibly appearing dumb but have the venues for the 2016 European finals been announced yet? I've searched high and low but cannot find any info.

[Caerlyr Osprey]

Apologies for possibly appearing dumb but have the venues for the 2016 European finals been announced yet? I've searched high and low but cannot find any info.

The Times this morning is reporting that the Champions Cup final will be held at Stade des Lumierers in Lyons and that bids to hold it had been received from Murrayfield and the Stade Velodrome in Marseilles.

[Tenax]

The Times this morning is reporting that the Champions Cup final will be held at Stade des Lumierers in Lyons and that bids to hold it had been received from Murrayfield and the Stade Velodrome in Marseilles.

Thank you.

I've now found it here in the Daily Telegraph.

[MPG]

Apologies for possibly appearing dumb but have the venues for the 2016 European finals been announced yet? I've searched high and low but cannot find any info.

ERC site says Stade de Lyon for 2016 Finals and Murrayfield for 2017

http://www.epcrugby.com/news/30996.php

[ourla]

Challenge Cup draw:

Pool 1: Enisei-STM, Connacht, Newcastle Falcons and Brive
Pool 2: Pau, Sale Sharks, Newport Gwent Dragons and Castres
Pool 3: Calvisano, Montpellier, Harlequins and Cardiff Blues
Pool 4: Worcester Warriors, La Rochelle, Gloucester and Zebre
Pool 5: Agen, Grenoble, London Irish and Edinburgh

Looks fairly even?

[ourla]

Clermont Auvernge and Bath Rugby go in to tier one with Stade Francais, Glasgow Warriors and Saracens

Munster and Ulster go in to tier two with Northampton Saints, Toulon and Ospreys

[ourla]

Toulouse and Leicester Tigers join Exeter Chiefs, Racing 92 and Leinster in Tier 3

Tier 4 contains Wasps, Oyonnax, Scarlets, Benetton Treviso and Bordeaux-Begles

[watsonjm]

Please not pool 5.....

[MPG]

Tier 1 - Clermont Auvernge, Bath Rugby, Stade Francais, Glasgow Warriors and Saracens

Tier 2 - Munster, Ulster, Northampton Saints, Toulon and Ospreys

Tier 3 - Toulouse and Leicester Tigers join Exeter Chiefs, Racing 92 and Leinster

Tier 4 - Wasps, Oyonnax, Scarlets, Benetton Treviso and Bordeaux-Begles