Champions Cup rugby draw: Pool stage confirmed as Saracens face Munster, Exeter drawn with Glasgow
Re-live the Champions Cup and Challenge Cup draws from Lausanne
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Your support makes all the difference.The draws for next season's European Champions Cup and Challenge Cup were made on Wednesday afternoon to throw up a daunting campaign for reigning champion Saracens, as they were placed alongside two-time winners Munster and recent finalists Racing 92, as well as Welsh side Ospreys.
Having won the 2018/19 Champions Cup final last month against Leinster, Saracens' reward was arguably the toughest pool drawn out of the five that will make up next season's European group stage, which gets underway in mid-November following the Rugby World Cup. Elsewhere, Exeter Chiefs will take on Glasgow Warriors in pool two, resulting in Stuart Hogg heading back to his former club at the earliest opportunity, with two pair pooled alongside La Rochelle and Sale Sharks.
Pool one sees beaten finalists Leinster take on Lyon, Northampton Saints and Bentton Rugby, wile in pool three recently-crowned Challenge Cup winners Clermont Auvergne will face Ulster, Harlequins and Bath. In pool five, Toulouse take on Gloucester, Connacht and Montpellier. Re-live how the draw was made.
Follow the live draw below.
Champions Cup teams
England: Saracens, Exeter Chiefs, Gloucester, Northampton Saints, Harlequins, Bath, Sale Sharks.
France: Toulouse, Clermont Auvergne, Lyon, La Rochelle, Racing 92, Montpellier.
Italy: Benetton
Ireland: Leinster, Munster, Ulster, Connacht
Scotland: Glasgow Warriors
Wales: Ospreys
Challenge Cup teams
England: Wasps, Bristol Bears, Worcester Warriors, Leicester Tigers, London Irish.
France: Castres, Stade Francais, Toulon, Bordeaux-Begles, Pau, Agen, Bayonne, Brive.
Italy: Zebre
Scotland: Edinburgh
Wales: Scarlets, Cardiff Blues, Dragons
Continental Shield qualifiers: Enisei-STM, Rugby Calvisano
And we're underway with the main event.
Here we go with the Champions Cup draw...
Here's a reminder of the 20 teams who feature in next season's Champions Cup:
Once again, a preliminary draw determines the seedings for the draw, which is:
Tier One: Saracens, Leinster, Toulouse, Clermont Auvergne, Exeter Chiefs
Tier Two: Gloucester, Munster, Lyon, Glasgow Warriors, Ulster
Tier Three: Harlequins, Connact, Racing 92, Northampton Saints, La Rochelle
Tier Four: Bath, Benetton, Montpellier, Sale Sharks, Ospreys
Clermont and Exeter join the three league champions in the top tier, with Glasgow and Ulster the lucky teams making it into tier two. It means a daunting prospect for Northampton and La Rochelle...
Right then, here we go with the main event. Tier one is up first...
Toulouse are drawn into Pool 5:
Pool 1:
Pool 2:
Pool 3:
Pool 4:
Pool 5: Toulouse
Exeter Chiefs are drawn into Pool 2:
Pool 1:
Pool 2: Exeter Chiefs
Pool 3:
Pool 4:
Pool 5: Toulouse
Clermont Auvergne are drawn into Pool 3:
Pool 1:
Pool 2: Exeter Chiefs
Pool 3: Clermont Auvergne
Pool 4:
Pool 5: Toulouse
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