Rugby:Leinster will launch the defence of their Heineken Cup crown with an away trip to competition newcomers Montpellier on Saturday November 12th, while Joe Schmidt's side will also host their home Pool 3 clash against Bath at the Aviva Stadium.

The French side have scheduled the match at Stade de la Mosson, the 32,900-capacity home of League 1 football club Montpellier HSC.

Leinster’s opening home game will see Glasgow visit The RDS for a Sunday lunchtime kick-off on November 20th.

Following a three-week break in the competition, Leinster will travel to the Recreation Ground to take on Bath on Sunday December 11th (12.45), with the return game against the English side going ahead at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday December 17th, with a 6.0pm kick-off

Leinster have won all three previous games staged at the venue, beating Clermont Auvergne in a pool match and Leicester Tigers and Toulouse in the knock-out stages last season on the way to their second title crown in three seasons.

Connacht, who join Montpellier in making their debut this season, travel to take on Amlin Challenge Cup holders Harlequins in Pool 6 on Friday November 11th, the opening night of the competition.

Their first game at the revamped Sportsground is the mouth-watering clash against four-time champions Toulouse on Saturday November 19th.

Munster will host last year’s beaten finalists Northampton in their opening clash on Saturday November 12th before an away trip to take on Castres seven days later.

Ulster, who will be looking to build on their quarter-final appearance this year, host Clermont Auvergne at Ravenhill on Saturday November 12th before an away date against Leicester on Saturday 19th.

POOL 1:Munster, Northampton Saints, Scarlets, Castres Olympique
POOL 2:Cardiff Blues, London Irish, Edinburgh, Racing Metro 92
POOL 3:Leinster, Bath Rugby, Glasgow Warriors, Montpellier
POOL 4:Leicester Tigers, Clermont Auvergne, Ulster Rugby, Aironi Rugby
POOL 5:Biarritz Olympique, Ospreys, Saracens, Benetton Treviso
POOL 6:Toulouse, Harlequins, Gloucester Rugby, Connacht Rugby

IRISH FIXTURES
MUNSTER – Pool 1
Sat Nov 12: v Northampton (home), 6.0
Sat Nov 19:v Castres (away), 4.40 (3.40 Irish time)
Sat Dec 10:v Scarlets (away), 3.40
Sun Dec 18: v Scarlets (home), 12.45
Jan 13/14/15: v Castres (home), TBC
Jan 21/22/23:v Northampton (away), TBC

LEINSTER – Pool 3
Sat Nov 12:v Montpellier (away), 2.30 (1.30 Irish time)
Sun Nov 20: v Glasgow (home), 12.45
Sun Dec 11:v Bath (away), 12.45
Sat Dec 17: v Bath (home, Aviva Stadium), 6.0
Jan 13/14/15:v Glasgow (away), TBC
Jan 21/22/23: v Montpellier (home), TBC

ULSTER – Pool 4
Sat Nov 12: v Clermont Auvergne (home), 3.40
Sat Nov 19:v Leicester (away), 6.0
Fri Dec 9: v Aironi (home), 7.30
Sat Dec 17:v Aironi (away), 2.30 (1.30 Irish time)
Jan 13/14/15: v Leicester (home), TBC
Jan 21/22/23:v Clermont Auvergne (away), TBC

CONNACHT – Pool 6
Fri Nov 11: v Harlequins (away), 8.0
Sat Nov 19: v Toulouse (home), 6.0
Sat Dec 10: v Gloucester (home), 1.30
Sat Dec 17:v Gloucester (away), 3.40
Jan 13/14/15:v Toulouse (away), TBC
Jan 21/22/23: v Harlequins (home), TBC

COMPLETE FIXTURES
(All kick-offs LOCAL time with host broadcaster where relevant)
ROUND 1
FRIDAY NOVEMBER 11
Pool 2Racing Metro v Cardiff Blues 21.00 Canal+
Pool 6Harlequins v Connacht20.00 Sky Sports

SATURDAY NOVEMBER 12
Pool 1Scarlets v Castres Olympique 15.00; Munsterv Northampton Saints 18.00 Sky Sports
Pool 2London Irish v Edinburgh 13.30 Sky Sports
Pool 3Montpellier v Leinster(Stade de la Mosson) 14.30 Canal+
Pool 4Aironi v Leicester 14.30 Sky Italia
Pool 4 Ulsterv Clermont Auvergne 15.40 Sky Sports
Pool 5Ospreys v Biarritz Olympique 15.40 S4C

SUNDAY NOVEMBER 13
Pool 3Glasgow Warriors v Bath 12.45 Sky Sports
Pool 5Saracens v Benetton Treviso 15.00
Pool 6Toulouse v Gloucester 16.00 FR2

ROUND 2
FRIDAY NOVEMBER 18
Pool 1Northampton Saints v Scarlets 20.00 Sky Sports
Pool 2Cardiff Blues v London Irish 20.00 S4C; Edinburgh v Racing Metro 92 20.00
Pool 4Clermont Auvergne v Aironi 21.00 Canal+

SATURDAY NOVEMBER 19
Pool 1Castres Olympique v Munster16.40 FR2
Pool 4Leicester Tigers v Ulster18.00 Sky Sports
Pool 5Biarritz Olympique v Saracens 14.30 Canal+; Benetton Treviso v Ospreys 14.30 Sky Italia
Pool 6Gloucester v Harlequins 15.40 Sky Sports
Pool 6 Connachtv Toulouse 18.00 Sky Sports

SUNDAY NOVEMBER 20
Pool 3 Leinsterv Glasgow Warriors 12.45 Sky Sports; Bath v Montpellier 15.00 Sky Sports

ROUND 3
FRIDAY DECEMBER 9
Pool 2Cardiff Blues v Edinburgh 20.00 S4C
Pool 4 Ulsterv Aironi 19.30
Pool 6Harlequins v Toulouse 20.00 Sky Sports

SATURDAY DECEMBER 10
Pool 1Scarlets v Munster15.40 Sky Sports; Castres Olympique v Northampton Saints 14.30 Canal+
Pool 2Racing Metro 92 v London Irish 16.40 FR2
Pool 5Benetton Treviso v Biarritz Olympique 14.30 Sky Italia;  Saracens v Ospreys (Wembley Stadium) 18.00 Sky Sports
Pool 6 Connacht  v Gloucester 13.30 Sky Sports

SUNDAY DECEMBER 11
Pool 3Bath v Leinster12.45 Sky Sports; Glasgow Warriors v Montpellier 12.45 Sky Sports 
Pool 4 Clermont Auvergne v Leicester Tigers 16.00 FR2

ROUND 4
FRIDAY DECEMBER 16
Pool 2Edinburgh v Cardiff Blues 20.00 S4C
Pool 5Ospreys v Saracens 20.00 Sky Sports; Biarritz Olympique v Benetton Treviso 21.00 Canal+

SATURDAY DECEMBER 17
Pool 2London Irish v Racing Metro 92 15.00
Pool 3 Leinsterv Bath Rugby (Aviva Stadium) 18.00 Sky Sports; Montpellier v Glasgow Warriors 16.40 FR2 Pool 4Aironi Rugby v Ulster14.30 Sky Italia; Leicester Tigers v Clermont Auvergne 13.30 Sky Sports 
Pool 6Gloucester Rugby v Connacht15.40 Sky Sports

SUNDAY DECEMBER 18
Pool 1 Munsterv Scarlets 12.45 Sky Sports; Northampton Saints v Castres Olympique 15.00 Sky Sports
Pool 6Toulouse v Harlequins (Le Stadium) 16.00 FR2

ROUND 5
JANUARY 13-15, 2012
Pool 1 Munsterv Castres Olympique; Scarlets v Northampton Saints
Pool 2London Irish v Cardiff Blues; Racing Metro 92 v Edinburgh
Pool 3Glasgow Warriors v Leinster; Montpellier v Bath 
Pool 4Aironi v Clermont Auvergne; Ulsterv Leicester Tigers
Pool 5Ospreys v Benetton Treviso; Saracens v Biarritz Olympique
Pool 6Toulouse v Connacht; Harlequins v Gloucester

ROUND 6
JANUARY 20-22, 2012
Pool 1Castres Olympique v Scarlets; Northampton Saints v Munster
Pool 2Cardiff Blues v Racing Metro 92; Edinburgh v London Irish
Pool 3Bath v Glasgow Warriors: Leinsterv Montpellier
Pool 4Clermont Auvergne v Ulster;Leicester Tigers v Aironi
Pool 5Benetton Treviso v Saracens; Biarritz Olympique v Ospreys
Pool 6 Connachtv Harlequins; Gloucester v Toulouse

QUARTER-FINALS - APRIL 6-8
SEMI-FINALS - APRIL 27-29, 2012
FINAL - MAY 19-20, 2012 TWICKENHAM