Ulster Rugby face strong French and English opponents in their Champions Cup group – The Irish News

ULSTER face a strong group in this year’s Champions Cup group stage, including a revenge match against Stade Toulousain, who feature French superstar Antoine Dupont in their ranks.

Les Rouge et Noir are the only known opponents from last year, however, as the Ulstermen also face Leicester Tigers, Union Bordeaux Bègles and Exeter Chiefs in the competition.

Toulouse enter the competition as champions of the Top 14 (the French first division), having beaten Bordeaux 59-3 in the final. That means Ulster, who were knocked out of last year’s Champions Cup in the group stages, will face the top two French teams.

Exeter Chiefs and Leicester Tigers finished seventh and eighth respectively in the Gallagher’s Premiership last season, which was just enough for both teams to qualify for Europe’s top-flight rugby competition.

Hollywoodbets Sharks are also in the group, but as Ulster already play them in the United Rugby Championship (URC), the two teams are exempt from the Champions Cup meeting.

Ulster qualified for the Champions Cup pool stage after finishing in the top eight of the URC and qualifying for the play-off stage of the competition.

Last season they were drawn into the round of 16 of the Challenge Cup after being knocked out in the group stage of the Champions Cup with just one win: against Racing 92.

In this competition Ulster defeated French side Montpellier Heráult 40-13 away, before losing to Clermont Auvergne featuring Pita-Gus Sowakula and Peceli Yato with two attempts each to defeat the Ulstermen.

The first round of the group matches will be played from 6 to 8 December and the final round from 17 to 19 January.

This year’s European rugby league final will take place at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff, home of Cardiff Rugby and the Welsh national rugby team.

EPCR will now start working on the schedule. The exact dates, locations, starting times and TV broadcasts will be announced in due time.