MUNSTER will mount their challenge for a third Heineken Cup title with a trip to London Irish on Saturday October 9 at 17:45 for their opening round in Pool 3 of Europe’s most prestigious rugby competition. The two time champions will return to Thomond Park seven days later to host French side Toulon at 15:30 on October 16.
The Red Army will take up position at fortress Thomond park at lunchtime on Sunday December 12 (KO 13:00) when the competition reconvenes after the Autumn International games to host the first of their back to back clashes with the Welsh giants, Ospreys.
And just seven days before Christmas, Munster will take a trip over the Irish Sea to face Ospreys on Saturday December 18 at 15:30.
Round 5 matches scheduled for the weekend of January 14/15/16 have yet to be finalised but Munster will be away to Toulon while the weekend of January 21/22/23 will see the men in red play out a pool 3 finale against London Irish at Thomond Park.
Munster head coach Tony McGahan noted that Munster “recognise the quality of the opposition” in their pool and that “any one of the four sides is capable of winning the competition”.
In other notable fixtures, Toulouse will open their Heineken Cup title defence with a home “Clash of the Champions” against former double winners London Wasps in the final Round 1 match on Sunday, 10 October.
The opening exchanges of the 16thseason of European club rugby’s elite tournament will be between another former champion club – 2000 winners Northampton Saints – and Castres Olympique.
The fixtures, dates, kick-off times and host broadcasters were announced this week by tournament organisers ERC with additional broadcast details to be announced at a later date.
Toulouse won a record fourth Heineken Cup crown in the all-French final at Stade de France in May with 2006 and 2010 finalists Biarritz Olympique who start their challenge on the road at 1998 winners Bath Rugby.
The opening weekend sees English Premiership champions Leicester Tigers travelling to Italian champions Benetton Treviso while French champions ASM Clermont Auvergne are home to Saracens with the Ospreys travelling to tournament newcomers Toulon.
Fellow Heineken Cup debutants Racing-Metro 92 and Aironi Rugby both face away Irish tests, at 2009 champions Leinster and Ulster Rugby respectively, with reigning Amlin Challenge Cup champions Cardiff Blues home to Edinburgh.
The Quarter finals of the competition are scheduled for April 8/9/10 with the semis set for April 30/May 1 and the final pairing facing off at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff on the weekend of May 21/22, 2011.
HEINEKEN CUP 2010 / 2011 FIXTURES
(All kick-offs LOCAL time)
ROUND 1
FRIDAY 8 OCTOBER, 2010
Pool 1 Northampton Saints v Castres Olympique 20.00 Sky Sports
Pool 4 Ulster Rugby v Aironi Rugby 19.30
Pool 6 Glasgow Warriors v Newport Gwent Dragons 19.30
SATURDAY 9 OCTOBER, 2010
Pool 1 Cardiff Blues v Edinburgh 17.45 S4C*
Pool 2 Leinster v Racing-Metro 92 13.30 Sky Sports
Pool 2 ASM Clermont Auvergne v Saracens 16.30 FR2
Pool 3 Toulon v Ospreys 14.30 Canal+
Pool 3 London Irish v Munster 17.45 Sky Sports
Pool 5 Benetton Treviso v Leicester Tigers 14.30 Sky Italia
Pool 5 Scarlets v Perpignan 15.30 Sky Sports
SUNDAY 10 OCTOBER, 2010
Pool 4 Bath Rugby v Biarritz Olympique 13.00 Sky Sports
Pool 6 Toulouse v London Wasps 16.00 FR2
* Highlights
ROUND 2
FRIDAY 15 OCTOBER, 2010
Pool 1 Castres Olympique v Cardiff Blues 21.00 Canal+
Pool 3 Ospreys v London Irish 20.00 Sky Sports
SATURDAY 16 OCTOBER, 2010
Pool 1 Edinburgh v Northampton Saints 13.30 Sky Sports
Pool 2 Racing-Metro 92 v ASM Clermont Auvergne 14.30 Canal+
Pool 2 Saracens v Leinster 17.45 Sky Sports
Pool 3 Munster v Toulon 15.30 Sky Sports
Pool 4 Aironi Rugby v Bath Rugby 14.30 Sky Italia
Pool 6 Newport Gwent Dragons v Toulouse 17.45 S4C*
SUNDAY 17 OCTOBER, 2010
Pool 4 Biarritz Olympique v Ulster Rugby 16.00 FR2
Pool 5 Leicester Tigers v Scarlets 15.00 Sky Sports
Pool 5 Perpignan v Benetton Treviso 14.00 Canal+
Pool 6 London Wasps v Glasgow Warriors 13.00 Sky Sports
* Highlights
ROUND 3
FRIDAY 10 DECEMBER, 2010
Pool 6 Glasgow Warriors v Toulouse 20.00 Sky Sports
SATURDAY 11 DECEMBER, 2010
Pool 1 Northampton Saints v Cardiff Blues 17.45 Sky Sports
Pool 1 Castres Olympique v Edinburgh 18.45 Canal+
Pool 2 Saracens v Racing-Metro 92 15.30 Sky Sports
Pool 4 Ulster Rugby v Bath Rugby 13.30 Sky Sports
Pool 4 Aironi Rugby v Biarritz Olympique 14.30 Sky Italia
Pool 5 Perpignan v Leicester Tigers 14.30 Canal+
Pool 5 Scarlets v Benetton Treviso 15.00
SUNDAY 12 DECEMBER, 2010
Pool 2 ASM Clermont Auvergne v Leinster 16.00 FR2
Pool 3 London Irish v Toulon 15.00 Sky Sports
Pool 3 Munster v Ospreys 13.00 Sky Sports
Pool 6 Newport Gwent Dragons v London Wasps 13.00 S4C*
* Highlights
ROUND 4
FRIDAY 17 DECEMBER, 2010
Pool 2 Racing-Metro 92 v Saracens 21.00 Canal+
Pool 4 Biarritz Olympique v Aironi Rugby 19.00
SATURDAY 18 DECEMBER, 2010
Pool 2 Leinster v ASM Clermont Auvergne 17.45 Sky Sports
Pool 3 Toulon v London Irish 16.30 FR2
Pool 3 Ospreys v Munster 15.30 Sky Sports
Pool 4 Bath Rugby v Ulster Rugby 13.30 Sky Sports
Pool 5 Benetton Treviso v Scarlets 14.30 Sky Italia
Pool 6 Toulouse v Glasgow Warriors 14.30 Canal+
SUNDAY 19 DECEMBER, 2010
Pool 1 Cardiff Blues v Northampton Saints 15.00 S4C*
Pool 1 Edinburgh v Castres Olympique 14.00
Pool 5 Leicester Tigers v Perpignan 15.00 Sky Sports
Pool 6 London Wasps v Newport Gwent Dragons 13.00 Sky Sports
* Highlights
ROUND 5
14 / 15 / 16 JANUARY, 2011
Pool 1 Cardiff Blues v Castres Olympique
Pool 1 Northampton Saints v Edinburgh
Pool 2 Leinster v Saracens
Pool 2 ASM Clermont Auvergne v Racing-Metro 92
Pool 3 Toulon v Munster
Pool 3 London Irish v Ospreys
Pool 4 Bath Rugby v Aironi Rugby
Pool 4 Ulster Rugby v Biarritz Olympique
Pool 5 Benetton Treviso v Perpignan
Pool 5 Scarlets v Leicester Tigers
Pool 6 Toulouse v Newport Gwent Dragons
Pool 6 Glasgow Warriors v London Wasps
ROUND 6
21 / 22 / 23 JANUARY, 2011
Pool 1 Castres Olympique v Northampton Saints
Pool 1 Edinburgh v Cardiff Blues
Pool 2 Saracens v ASM Clermont Auvergne
Pool 2 Racing-Metro 92 v Leinster
Pool 3 Munster v London Irish
Pool 3 Ospreys v Toulon
Pool 4 Aironi Rugby v Ulster Rugby
Pool 4 Biarritz Olympique v Bath Rugby
Pool 5 Perpignan v Scarlets
Pool 5 Leicester Tigers v Benetton Treviso
Pool 6 Newport Gwent Dragons v Glasgow Warriors
Pool 6 London Wasps v Toulouse
QUARTER-FINALS
8 / 9 / 10 APRIL, 2011
SEMI-FINALS
30 APRIL / 1 MAY, 2011
16th HEINEKEN CUP FINAL
21 / 22 MAY, 2011 – MILLENNIUM STADIUM, CARDIFF
