Tigers face swift Ospreys reunion

Two-time champions Leicester will renew acquaintances with Welsh region Ospreys in the opening round of group fixtures in this season's Heineken Cup.

The Tigers, beaten in the final in May by Leinster, had two tight pool games against Ospreys last season, and two fractious meetings in 2005.

Champions Leinster open their campaign against London Irish in Dublin on the opening weekend, on Friday, 9 October.

Northampton host two-time champions Munster; Cardiff Blues host Harlequins.

Sale Sharks face a daunting start in France against three-time champions Toulouse, while the opening night also features Gloucester against Newport Gwent Dragons and Ulster against Bath.

Edinburgh face a tough opener away to Stade Francais, but will not have to contend with star fly-half Juan Martin Fernandez, who is leaving Paris to join South African Super 14 side the Sharks.

Glasgow open up at home against 2006 finalists Biarritz, while the other Welsh region, the Scarlets, also start against French opposition with the visit of Brive.

Round One:

Friday 9 October 2009: (all times BST)

Pool 2 Gloucester v Newport Gwent Dragons 2000
Pool 4 Ulster Rugby v Bath Rugby 1930
Pool 6 Leinster v London Irish 2000

Saturday 10 October, 2009

Pool 1 Benetton Treviso v Perpignan 1330
Pool 1 Northampton Saints v Munster 1800
Pool 2 Glasgow Warriors v Biarritz Olympique 1445
Pool 3 ASM Clermont Auvergne v Viadana 1500
Pool 4 Stade Francais v Edinburgh 1335
Pool 5 Cardiff Blues v Harlequins 1335
Pool 6 Scarlets v Brive 1500

Sunday 11 October 2009

Pool 3 Leicester Tigers v Ospreys 1245
Pool 5 Toulouse v Sale Sharks 1500

Round Two:

Friday 16 October 2009:

Pool 1 Perpignan v Northampton Saints 2000
Pool 2 Newport Gwent Dragons v Glasgow Warriors 1930
Pool 5 Sale Sharks v Cardiff Blues 2000

Saturday 17 October, 2009:

Pool 1 Munster v Benetton Treviso 1335
Pool 2 Biarritz Olympique v Gloucester 1335
Pool 3 Viadana v Leicester Tigers 1330
Pool 4 Edinburgh v Ulster 1545
Pool 5 Harlequins v Toulouse 1800
Pool 6 London Irish v Scarlets 1500
Pool 6 Brive v Leinster 1545

Sunday 18 October 2009:

Pool 3 Ospreys v ASM Clermont Auvergne 1245
Pool 4 Bath v Stade Français 1500

Round Three:

Friday 11 December 2009:

Pool 1 Munster v Perpignan 2000
Pool 2 Glasgow Warriors v Gloucester 1930

Saturday 12 December 2009:

Pool 1 Northampton Saints v Benetton Treviso 1500
Pool 3 Viadana v Ospreys 1330
Pool 4 Ulster v Stade Français 1335
Pool 5 Cardiff Blues v Toulouse 1545
Pool 6 Scarlets v Leinster 1800
Pool 6 Brive v London Irish 1800

Sunday 13 December 2009:

Pool 2 Biarritz Olympique v Newport Gwent Dragons 1245
Pool 3 ASM Clermont Auvergne v Leicester Tigers 1500
Pool 4 Bath v Edinburgh 1500
Pool 5 Harlequins v Sale Sharks 1245

Round Four:

Friday 18 December 2009:

Pool 2 Newport Gwent Dragons v Biarritz Olympique 2000

Saturday 19 December 2009:

Pool 1 Benetton Treviso v Northampton Saints 1330
Pool 3 Ospreys v Viadana 1430
Pool 3 Leicester Tigers v ASM Clermont Auvergne 1800
Pool 4 Stade Français v Ulster (venue outside Paris, TBC) 1545
Pool 4 Edinburgh v Bath 1335
Pool 5 Toulouse v Cardiff Blues 1335
Pool 6 Leinster v Scarlets 1545
Pool 6 London Irish v Brive 1500

Sunday 20 December 2009:

Pool 1 Perpignan v Munster 1500
Pool 2 Gloucester v Glasgow Warriors 1245
Pool 5 Sale Sharks v Harlequins 1500

Round Five: 15-17 January 2010 (Fixtures TBC)

Round Six: 22-24 January 2010 (Fixtures TBC)

Quarter-finals: 9-11 April 2010

Semi-finals: 1-2 May 2010

Final: 22 May 2010 (Stade de France, Paris)