Irish Teams Handed Mixed Draws In Heineken Cup

Reigning Heineken Cup Champions Leinster have been drawn in Pool 3 of next season’s tournament and will face Bath, Glasgow Warriors and Montpellier as they try to defend the title they won in Cardiff just over a fortnight ago.

The draw for the 17^th tournament was made today at Twickenham Stadium, where the final will be held next May.

In Pool 1 former European Champions Munster will line-up against this year’s finalists Northampton Saints.

Connacht in their first season in the competition have been drawn against English sides Harlequins and Gloucester as well as four times winners of the Heineken Cup, Toulouse.

Full reaction from the clubs to follow.

2011/12 Heineken Cup Pool Draw:

Pool 1: Munster, Northampton Saints, Scarlets, Castres
Pool 2: Cardiff Blues, London Irish, Edinburgh, Racing Metro 92
Pool 3: Leinster, Bath Rugby, Glasgow Warriors, Montpellier
Pool 4: Leicester Tigers, Clermont Auvergne, Ulster, Aironi
Pool 5: Biarritz Olympic, Ospreys, Saracens, Benetton Treviso
Pool 6: Toulouse, Harlequins, Gloucester, Connacht

Meanwhile there could me a blockbuster announcement on the way later on this week. Following a press release sent out by the ERC this morning, it is looking increasingly likely that the 2013 Heineken Cup final is on its way to Dublin.

In the press release the ERC said that it had a huge announcement to make, which will be made on Thursday morning at the Aviva Stadium. Guests on the day will include the ERC and IRFU’s chief executives and the Irish minister for transport, sport and tourism, Leo Varadkar TD.

The guest list for the morning gives the indication that the Dublin 4 venue will host the Heineken Cup final for only the second time, the last time it was played there was in 1999, where Ulster became the first Irish team to lift the Heineken Cup Trophy.

Daniel "Pitchside" Pitcher Twitter: @DanFM104Sport About: Dan "Pitchside" Pitcher provides insight and commentary as the chief soccer and rugby correspondent for Sportspeak.