Friday 19 August 2016 13:10, UK
Saracens will begin the defence of the Champions Cup title with a truly heavyweight clash against three-time winners Toulon, at Stade Félix Mayol on Saturday, 15 October.
The Anglo-French Pool 3 match is just one of numerous high-profile confrontations in the fixtures schedules for rounds one to four of this season's Champions Cup and Challenge Cup which were announced on Friday by tournament organisers EPCR.
Connacht, who captured the PRO12 title in magnificent style last season, will be guaranteed a full house at the Sportsground for the Round one visit of four-time tournament winners, Toulouse, also on Saturday, October 15, while last season's Top 14 champions, Racing 92, host Munster under new director of rugby, Rassie Erasmus, at Stade Yves-Du-Manoir on Sunday, October 16.
Montpellier, 2016 Challenge Cup winners, kick-off their European season with a demanding Pool 4 fixture against Northampton Saints at Franklin's Gardens on Saturday, October 15.
Scarlets, who were drawn in the ultra-competitive Pool 3 with Saracens, Toulon and Sale Sharks, open up against Sale at Parc y Scarlets on the same Saturday.
Toulouse are moving their mouth-watering Round 2 game against Wasps to Le Stadium on Sunday, October 23, and Leinster will attract another big attendance for the Round 4 visit of the Saints to the Aviva Stadium on Saturday, December 17.
Bristol make their return to European competition for the first time since the 2008/09 season when they take on old rivals, Cardiff Blues, in round one of the Challenge Cup at Ashton Gate on Friday, October 14.
Newcomers, Timisoara Saracens of Romania, are in Pool 5 action against Edinburgh at the Dan Paltinisanu Stadium on Saturday, October 15.
What promises to be an epic journey to the 2017 finals weekend at Edinburgh's Murrayfield Stadium begins with the Challenge Cup head-to-head between European stalwarts Harlequins and Stade Francais Paris at the Twickenham Stoop on Thursday, October 13.
The dates, kick-off times and TV coverage for the Round 5 and 6 fixtures in both tournaments will be announced in December following the completion of the Round 4 matches.
EPCR weekends
Round 1: 13/14/15/16 October
Round 2: 20/21/22/23 October
Round 3: 8/9/10/11 December
Round 4: 15/16/17/18 December
Round 5: 12/13/14/15 January 2017
Round 6: 19/20/21/22 January 2017
Quarter-finals: 30/31 March - 1/2 April 2017
Semi-finals: 21/22/23 April 2017
Finals: 13 May 2017
2016/17 European Rugby Champions Cup draw
Pool 1: Racing 92, Glasgow Warriors, Leicester Tigers, Munster
Pool 2: Connacht, Wasps, Toulouse, Zebre
Pool 3: Saracens, Toulon, Scarlets, Sale Sharks
Pool 4: Leinster, Montpellier, Northampton Saints, Castres
Pool 5: Exeter Chiefs, Clermont Auvergne, Ulster, Bordeaux-Begles
2016/17 European Rugby Challenge Cup draw
Pool 1: La Rochelle, Gloucester, Benetton Treviso, Bayonne
Pool 2: Ospreys, Grenoble, Newcastle Falcons, Lyon
Pool 3: Brive, Worcester Warriors, Newport Gwent Dragons, Enisei STM
Pool 4: Cardiff Blues, Bath, Pau, Bristol
Pool 5: Harlequins, Edinburgh, Stade Francais, Timisoara Saracens
