Déjà blue for Leinster as they face La Rochelle for a fifth consecutive Champions Cup season
Leinster and La Rochelle will meet for the fifth consecutive season after the old foes were pitted together once again in today’s Champions Cup draw.
Ronan O’Gara’s men were beaten twice by Leinster last season, including at home in the pool stages, with Leinster then knocking the then defending champions La Rochelle out in the quarter-final.
Leinster will also face Clermont Auvergne, Bristol and Bath, with Benetton also part of Pool 2, but as the Italians and Leo Cullen’s side both play in the URC, they will not face each other in the Champions Cup pool stages.
Munster are in Pool 3 along with Premiership champions Northampton, fellow Premiership side Saracens, while Graham Rowntree’s men will also face two French opponents in Stade Francais and Castres.
Ulster have been handed a tough draw in Pool 1, where Richie Murphy’s side will take on double French and European champions Toulouse, Bordeaux, who were beaten in last weekend’s Top 14 final, and English duo Exeter Chiefs and Leicester Tigers.
Pool matches will take place on December 6/7/8, December 13/14/15, January 10/11/12 and January 17/18/19, with all roads leading to the final, which will be held at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium on May 24.
Meanwhile, Connacht have been drawn in Pool 1 of the Challenge Cup, where they are joined by URC rivals Cardiff and Zebre, French sides Perpignan and Lyon, and South African outfit the Cheetahs.
Connacht will play four pool games, two at home and two away, with opponents, venues and dates to be confirmed in due course.
Given that Amsterdam is the Cheetahs’ ‘home’ base, Connacht supporters will be hoping for an exciting trip to the Dutch capital.
Investec Champions Cup Pools 2024/25
Pool 1: Stade Toulousain, Union Bordeaux Bègles, Hollywoodbets Sharks, Exeter Chiefs, Leicester Tigers, Ulster Rugby
Pool 2: Leinster Rugby, ASM Clermont Auvergne, Stade Rochelais, Bristol Bears, Benetton Rugby, Bath Rugby
Pool 3: Northampton Saints, Munster Rugby, Vodacom Bulls, Stade Français Paris, Saracens, Castres Olympique
Pool 4: Glasgow Warriors, Racing 92, Sale Sharks, DHL Stormers, RC Toulon, Harlequins
EPCR Challenge Cup Pools 2024/25
Pool 1: Cardiff Rugby, Connacht Rugby, Toyota Cheetahs, USAP, Lyon Olympique Universitaire, Zebre Parma
Pool 2: Montpellier Hérault Rugby, Section Paloise, Newcastle Falcons, Dragons RFC, Emirates Lions, Ospreys
Pool 3: RC Vannes, Black Lion, Aviron Bayonnais, Scarlets, Edinburgh Rugby, Gloucester Rugby
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