Scrum of the Earth /

Reigning Cup champions, Munster are thrust first into Heineken Cup action with a Friday night fixture against newcomers Montauban.

Other highlights of the opening weekend include Biarritz traveling to Gloucester on the Saturday with Leicester Tigers and Toulouse entertaining EDF Energy Cup kings, Ospreys and European Challenge Cup winners, Bath on Sunday.

The first half of fixtures are as follows...

THE POOLS
POOL 1: Munster, Sale Sharks, ASM Clermont Auvergne, Montauban
POOL 2: London Wasps, Leinster, Castres Olympique, Edinburgh
POOL 3: Leicester Tigers, Perpignan, Ospreys, Benetton Treviso
POOL 4: Stade Français Paris, Llanelli Scarlets, Ulster Rugby, Harlequins
POOL 5: Toulouse, Bath Rugby, Newport Gwent Dragons, Glasgow Warriors
POOL 6: Biarritz Olympique, Gloucester Rugby, Cardiff Blues, Rugby Calvisano


THE FIXTURES
(All kick-offs LOCAL times)


ROUND 1        
FRIDAY 10 OCTOBER, 2008
Pool 1 Munster v Montauban    20.00 Sky Sports / RTE*
Pool 3 Perpignan v Benetton Treviso   21.00 Canal+ Sport / Sky Italia

SATURDAY 11 OCTOBER, 2008
Pool 1 ASM Clermont Auvergne v Sale Sharks  14.35 Canal+ / Sky Sports**
Pool 2 Edinburgh v Leinster    13.35 Sky Sports / RTE* / Sky Italia
Pool 4 Llanelli Scarlets v Harlequins   15.30 S4C* / Sky Sports**
Pool 4 Ulster Rugby v Stade Français Paris  15.30 Sky Sports / FR2
Pool 5 Newport Gwent Dragons v Glasgow Warriors 14.30
Pool 6 Gloucester Rugby v Biarritz Olympique  17.30 Sky Sports / Canal+ Sport
Pool 6 Rugby Calvisano v Cardiff Blues   14.35 Sky Italia / Sky Sports**

SUNDAY 12 OCTOBER, 2008
Pool 2 London Wasps v Castres Olympique  15.00
Pool 3 Leicester Tigers v Ospreys   13.00 Sky Sports
Pool 5 Toulouse v Bath Rugby    16.00 FR2 / Sky Sports / Sky Italia


ROUND 2
FRIDAY 17 OCTOBER, 2008
Pool 5 Glasgow Warriors v Toulouse   20.00 Sky Sports / Canal+ Sport / Sky Italia

SATURDAY 18 OCTOBER, 2008
Pool 2 Castres Olympique v Edinburgh   18.30 Canal+ Sport / Sky Sports**
Pool 2 Leinster v London Wasps    17.30 Sky Sports / RTE* / Sky Italia
Pool 3 Benetton Treviso v Leicester Tigers  14.35 Sky Italia / Sky Sports**
Pool 3 Ospreys v Perpignan    15.30 Sky Sports / FR2
Pool 4 Stade Français Paris v Llanelli Scarlets  14.35 Canal+ / Sky Sports
Pool 4 Harlequins v Ulster Rugby    15.00
Pool 6 Biarritz Olympique v Rugby Calvisano  18.00

SUNDAY 19 OCTOBER, 2008
Pool 1 Montauban v ASM Clermont Auvergne  16.00 FR2
Pool 1 Sale Sharks v Munster    13.00 Sky Sports / Sport+ / RTE*
Pool 5 Bath Rugby v Newport Gwent Dragons  13.00 S4C* / Sky Sports**
Pool 6 Cardiff Blues v Gloucester Rugby   15.00 Sky Sports / Sky Italia

ROUND 3
FRIDAY 5 DECEMBER, 2008
Pool 1 Sale Sharks v Montauban    19.45
Pool 2 Edinburgh v London Wasps   19.30
Pool 4 Ulster Rugby v Llanelli Scarlets   20.00 Sky Sports
Pool 6 Cardiff Blues v Biarritz Olympique  20.00 S4C*/Sky Sports**/Canal+ Sport / Sky Italia

SATURDAY 6 DECEMBER, 2008
Pool 2 Leinster v Castres Olympique   13.35 Sky Sports / Sport+ / RTE*
Pool 3 Ospreys v Benetton Treviso   15.00
Pool 3 Leicester Tigers v Perpignan   17.30 Sky Sports / Canal+ Sport
Pool 4 Stade Français Paris v Harlequins  16.30 FR 2 / Sky Sports
Pool 5 Toulouse v Newport Gwent Dragons  14.35 Canal+ / Sky Sports** / Sky Italia
Pool 6 Rugby Calvisano v Gloucester Rugby  14.35 Sky Italia / Sky Sports**

SUNDAY 7 DECEMBER, 2008
Pool 1 ASM Clermont Auvergne v Munster  16.00 FR 2 / Sky Sports / RTE*
Pool 5 Bath Rugby v Glasgow Warriors   13.00 Sky Sports / Sky Italia

ROUND 4
FRIDAY 12 DECEMBER, 2008
Pool 2 Castres Olympique v Leinster   21.00 Canal+ Sport / Sky Sports / RTE*
Pool 4 Llanelli Scarlets v Ulster Rugby   20.00 S4C* / Sky Sports** / Sky Italia

SATURDAY 13 DECEMBER, 2008
Pool 1 Munster v ASM Clermont Auvergne  15.30 Sky Sports / FR2 / RTE*
Pool 1 Montauban v Sale Sharks    19.00
Pool 3 Benetton Treviso v Ospreys   14.35 Sky Italia / Sky Sports**
Pool 4 Harlequins v Stade Français Paris  17.30 Sky Sports / Canal+Sport
Pool 5 Newport Gwent Dragons v Toulouse  14.30
Pool 6 Biarritz Olympique v Cardiff Blues  14.35 Canal+ / Sky Sports
Pool 6 Gloucester Rugby v Rugby Calvisano  15.00

SUNDAY 14 DECEMBER, 2008
Pool 2 London Wasps v Edinburgh   13.00 Sky Sports / Sky Italia
Pool 3 Perpignan v Leicester Tigers   16.00 FR 2 / Sky Sports / Sky Italia
Pool 5 Glasgow Warriors v Bath Rugby   14.00