Gloucester reached the quarter-finals of Heineken Cup last season

Gloucester head coach Dean Ryan says his side will have to work hard in the group stages of the Heineken Cup.

They have been drawn in pool six at the competition launch alongside Biarritz, Cardiff Blues and Calvisano.

He said: "We are involved in Europe's elite club competition and as such realised we would face sides of real calibre and quality.

"We face a variety of opponents, some of which are new to us, and that will only add to the excitement," he added.