Pools for the 2012/13 Heineken cup comp have been decided

REIGNING HEINEKEN Cup champions, Leinster, have been drawn in Pool 5 of the 2012/13 tournament and will face ASM Clermont Auvergne, Scarlets and newcomers, Exeter Chiefs, as they attempt to win an unprecedented third title in a row.

The draw for European club rugby’s elite competition took place on Tuesday, 12 June at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin where the 18th Heineken Cup final will be staged on Saturday, 18 May 2013 with a 5.00pm kick-off.

Last season’s Heineken Cup runners-up, Ulster Rugby, will be in Pool 4 alongside Northampton Saints, Glasgow Warriors and Castres Olympique, while two-time winners, Munster Rugby, are up against Edinburgh Rugby, Saracens and Racing Metro 92 in Pool 1.

Current English Premiership champions, Harlequins, are in Pool 3 with Biarritz Olympique, Connacht Rugby and Italian newcomers, Zebre.

In tandem with the draw, ERC also announced that the Amlin Challenge Cup final, which gets the Dublin 2013 finals weekend underway, will kick off at 8.00pm at the RDS on Friday, 17 May.

2012/13 Heineken Cup Pool Draw
Pool 1: Munster Rugby, Edinburgh Rugby, Saracens, Racing Metro 92

Pool 2: Toulouse, Leicester Tigers, Ospreys, Benetton Treviso

Pool 3: Biarritz Olympique, Harlequins, Connacht Rugby, Zebre

Pool 4: Northampton Saints, Ulster Rugby, Glasgow Warriors, Castres Olympique

Pool 5: Leinster Rugby, ASM Clermont Auvergne, Scarlets, Exeter Chiefs

Pool 6: Cardiff Blues, RC Toulon, Sale Sharks, Montpellier