Friday 14 October 2016 18:03, UK
With the Champions Cup kicking off this weekend, we take a look at which clubs will be challenging for play-off places and a potential spot in May's final at Murrayfield.
Racing 92 are favourites to top Pool 1 as they look to go one step further than they did last season, where they came unstuck against Saracens in the final.
Ronan O'Gara won two European Cups with Munster and the Racing coach comes up against his former side on Sunday, live on Sky Sports 2. The Irish province are still adjusting to life under director of rugby Rassie Erasmus and suffered a disappointing defeat to rivals Leinster in the PRO12 last weekend.
Leicester Tigers are gunning for Racing following last season's semi-final loss to the Parisians, while Gregor Townsend is targeting the knockout stages in his final season as Glasgow coach before linking up with Scotland's national side.
Click here for the full preview of Pool 1
Wasps are the team to beat in Pool 2 but Connacht and Toulouse will also have their sights set on the quarter-finals.
The inclusion of Zebre means two teams are likely to qualify for the knockout stages, so try-bonus points against the Italian strugglers could prove decisive.
Connacht suffered a poor start to the PRO12 season, but have found form just in time for the visit of Toulouse on Sky Sports 4 this Saturday, while the French club continue to struggle post-Guy Noves.
Click here for the full preview of Pool 2
Defending champions Saracens begin their title defence against three-time champions Toulon, while Sale and Scarlets will want to prove they're not just there to make up the numbers.
The double winners returned to the top of the Premiership with victory over Wasps on Sunday, and that puts them in good stead ahead of Saturday's trip to the Stade Felix Mayol.
Jonathan Davies' return to Parc y Scarlets, along with the signing of Super Rugby star Johnny McNicholl, has bolstered the Welsh region's backline, but Sale have shown they can mix it with the best in the Premiership when they're in the mood. Sale will be bouyed by the arrival of Josh Charnley, one of the latest code-hoppers to try his hand at rugby union.
Click here for the full preview of Pool 3
Leinster and Northampton are up against French sides Montpellier and Castres in what promises to be a keenly-contested pool.
Leo Cullen's side flopped in Europe last season, losing five of their six games and shipping 17 tries, but they have made a promising start in the PRO12, heading into Europe on the back of a vital derby win over Munster.
Montpellier are motoring nicely in the Top 14 and sit second after eight rounds of fixtures, but it's a case of the opposite for Northampton, who have struggled for consistency as well as tries.
Click here for the full preview of Pool 4
For the second successive year Exeter Chiefs, Clermont Auvergne and Bordeaux-Begles have been pooled together, with PRO12 pacesetters Ulster completing a highly-competitive group.
The Chiefs qualified for the knockout stages for the first time last season after a dramatic final round of fixtures where Bordeaux won at Clermont, but they suffered late heartbreak in the quarter-finals against Wasps.
Clermont have made an impressive start to the Top 14 and sit top with six wins from eight games, Bordeaux are on a three-game winning streak, while Ulster lead the PRO12 despite their loss at Connacht last weekend.
