Munster must start European journey away to Sale Sharks

European Cup: Llanelli Scarlet have the onerous task of facing defending Heineken European Cup champions Toulouse on the opening weekend of this season's tournament, which begins in late October. For Ireland's three competing provinces, Munster, Leinster and Ulster, two will play their opening matches at home.

Munster provide the exception as they travel to Sale Sharks. That match will reunite many of the players who are Lions team-mates in New Zealand. One of the most interesting clashes that game will throw up will be the battle at outhalf between Charlie Hodgson and Ronan O'Gara.

Declan Kidney's return to Munster to take over the coaching reigns for a second time is not the only bit of history being repeated. The presence of old foes Castres Olympique means Munster will see plenty of familiar faces in week two. The Irish team will play back-to-back fixtures against the Newport Gwent Dragons.

Leinster, under the Australian coaching team of Michael Cheika and David Knox, will be well versed with the challenges of Bath and Bourgoin, whom they faced at the pool stages last year. This time they open up against Bath - they played them at Lansdowne Road in week two last season - and will travel to Glasgow next before successive fixtures against Bourgoin, as they did to great effect last season.

Bourgoin have lost 11 of their last 12 European Cup matches.

Bath will have former Leinster and Harlequins outhalf Andy Dunne among their number.

Saracens return to top-flight European rugby for the first time since the 2000-2001 season, a statistic with which Ulster will be well versed as they suffered two defeats at the hands of the London club. The Ravenhill match will be remembered for the horrendous leg injury suffered by Ireland and Lions prop Paul Wallace playing for Saracens.

The English side will be able to call upon the services of Ireland and Lions hooker Shane Byrne, who joined them last weekend, and former Ireland defensive coach Mike Ford, who will fill the assistant's role at club level to Steve Diamond.

Biarritz have faced Ulster at the pool stage before with victory going to the home side in the respective matches, while Benetton Treviso have also played at Ravenhill but will be hoping to do better than the 59-3 defeat they sustained that day.

Toulouse, who will have Trevor Brennan and Aidan McCullen in their ranks, encountered the Llanelli Scarlets in the last campaign, winning 9-6 at Stradey Park and 53-36 at Stade Ernest Wallon.

It will be the first time Toulouse have had the luxury of a home game in the opening round after winning the title. In 1996, they had to travel to Milan to launch their defence, and in 2003 they were beaten in Edinburgh.

Celtic League winners the Ospreys will have last season's runners-up, Stade Francais, as their first European guests in what could well be a sell-out, 20,000 crowd at their new all-seater stadium at Morfa, Swansea. Leicester Tigers, who include eight Lions as well as Irish duo Shane Jennings and Leo Cullen, will run into their fellow New Zealand tourist Stephen Jones when Clermont Auvergne return to the tournament at Welford Road.

The dates and times for the pool matches will be agreed shortly following confirmation of a television schedule with broadcasters in the Britain, Ireland, France and Italy.