Heineken Cup newcomers Exeter Chiefs have been given a tough draw in the 2012-13 Heineken Cup as they will face defending champions Leinster in Pool Five.

rugbyweek

Exeter Chiefs qualified for the Heineken Cup by finishing in fifth place in the Aviva Premiership.

The Heineken Cup rookies will also face French Top 14 Rugby club Clermont Auvergne and the Scarlets of Wales.

Aviva Premiership winners Harlequins are pooled with Ireland’s Connacht and Amlin Challenge Cup winners Biarritz as well as Italian newcomers Zebre in Pool Three.

Heineken Cup runners up Ulster have been placed in Pool 4 with last year’s runners up Northampton Saints as well as Glasgow and Castres.

In Pool 1 former Champions Munster will face Semi-finalists Edinburgh, former Premiership champions Saracens and Racing Metro.

In Pool 2 Four time Champions will play three time Champions Leicester Tigers and Celtic League champions Ospreys and Italian Club Treviso.

Cardiff Blues and Sale will battle it out with French clubs Toulon and Montpellier for top spot in Pool 6.

Only the pool winners and the two best runners-up will progress to the knock-out phase of European club rugby’s showcase tournament.

The Heineken Cup final will be held at Dublin’s Aviva Stadium on 18 May 2013.

Draw

Pool 1: Munster (IRL), Edinburgh (SCO), Saracens (ENG), Racing Metro (FRA)

Pool 2: Toulouse (FRA), Leicester (ENG), Ospreys (WAL), Treviso (ITA)

Pool 3: Biarritz (FRA), Harlequins (ENG), Connacht (IRL), Zebre (ITA)

Pool 4: Northampton (ENG), Ulster (IRL), Glasgow (SCO), Castres (FRA)

Pool 5: Leinster (IRL), Clermont-Auvergne (FRA), Scarlets (WAL), Exeter (ENG)

Pool 6: Cardiff Blues (WAL), Toulon (FRA), Sale (ENG), Montpellier (FRA)

Match Schedule

1st round: October 11-14

2nd rd: October 17-20

3rd rd: December 6-9

4th rd: December 13-16

5th rd: January 10-13, 2013

6th rd: January 17-20

Quarter-finals: April 4-7

Semi-finals: April 26-28

Final: May 18 at Dublin