The Heineken Cup fixtures for 2006/7 have been announced and provide Cardiff Blues with an away game against Bourgoin for their opening match.
Pool 4 Fixtures
Bourgoin v Cardiff Blues Saturday 21 October ko: 16.30
Cardiff Blues v Leicester Tigers Sunday 29 October ko: 15.00
Cardiff Blues v Munster Sunday 10 December ko: 13.00
Munster v Cardiff Blues Saturday 16 December ko: 15.30
Leicester Tigers v Cardiff Blues 12/13/14 January ko: TBC
Cardiff Blues v Bourgoin 19/20/21 January ko: TBC
All kick offs LOCAL times
Munster will launch their defence of the Heineken Cup with a challenging trip to Leicester Tigers in a Pool 4 clash of past and present champions at Welford Road.
The Irish province travel to the home of the 2001 and 2002 champions for their first tournament match as holders of European club rugby's most coveted trophy, with Leicester Tigers making the return trip to the Thomond Park fortress in Round 6.
After the away tie against Bourgoin, Cardiff Blues will entertain both Leicester and Munster at home prior to Christmas. As in previous seasons, the second half of the pool games are a reverse of the opening matches, so Cardiff Blues will complete the group with a home match against Bourgoin.
The fixtures, dates, kick-off times and host TV broadcasters for the first four Rounds of the 12th Heineken Cup tournament, released by ERC today also see English champions Sale Sharks on the road in Round 1 taking on the Ospreys at the Liberty Stadium in Pool 3 on the opening night.
French champions Biarritz Olympique will have home advantage against 2000 Heineken Cup winners Northampton Saints when the opening shots are fired in Pool 6 with top Scottish team Edinburgh Gunners travelling to the South of France to meet Agen, who return to the tournament after a two year absence, in Pool 2.
Details of the additional TV coverage of Rounds 1 to 4 by ERC's broadcast partners, France Televisions, Groupe Canal +, Sky Sports, RTE TV and S4C, including all live, delayed and highlights broadcasts, will be announced shortly.
HEINEKEN CUP 2006 / 2007
THE POOLS
Pool 1: Benetton Treviso, Perpignan, London Wasps, Castres Olympique.
Pool 2: Edinburgh Gunners, Agen, Gloucester Rugby, Leinster.
Pool 3: Sale Sharks, Stade Francais Paris, Rugby Calvisano, Ospreys.
Pool 4: Cardiff Blues, Bourgoin, Leicester Tigers, Munster.
Pool 5: Ulster Rugby, Toulouse, London Irish, Llanelli Scarlets.
Pool 6: Biarritz Olympique, Northampton Saints, Overmach Rugby Parma, Border Reivers.
THE FIXTURE DATES (weekends beginning..)
ROUND 1 - Friday 20 October
ROUND 2 - Friday 27 October
ROUND 3 - Friday 8 December
ROUND 4 - Friday 15 December
ROUND 5 12 / 13/ 14 January, 2007
ROUND 6 19 / 20 / 21 January
QUARTER-FINALS - 30 / 31 March / 1 April
SEMI-FINALS - 20 / 21 / 22 April
HEINEKEN CUP FINAL - 19 / 20 May
Twickenham Stadium