Worcester will be in Europe for the first time after being promoted

"It is a great way for us to launch our European career at Worcester because it really is a mouth-watering tie," said director of rugby Andy Keast.

Their clash with the former Heineken Cup winners is one of four Anglo-French first-round confrontations.

Leeds meet Grenoble, London Irish face Auch and Saracens take on Bayonne while Sale Sharks meet Catania in Sicily.

Keast and new Worcester signing Pat Sanderson both have first-hand experience of beating Brive in the second-tier European competition with Harlequins in 2001.

"The noise from the home crowd was amazing and it was a very intimidating atmosphere to play in," Keast recalled.

"It's going to be a great adventure for Worcester rugby club."

Last season's beaten semi-finalists, Connacht, have been drawn against perennial rivals Narbonne, in the first round.

The two teams have already met seven times before in the competition, with Connacht winning four - including both legs of last season's quarter-final.

New Borders coach Steve Bates, who coached Newcastle to two European Challenge Cup semi-finals, faces a trip to Portuguese champions AA Coimbra.