Munster to face old foes in Champions Cup pool stages

MUNSTER will face familiar foes, Racing 92 and Leicester Tigers in Pool 4 of next season’s Champions Cup.

As well as renewing rivalry with the Tigers and Racing, who they faced in the pool stages of this season’s competition, Tier 1 side Munster will also take on Castres Olympique.

The draw will mean that Munster’s departing second-row Donnacha Ryan will face a quick return to Thomond Park with his new club Racing 92.

2017 European Cup semi-finalists Munster completed a home-and-away double over Racing 92 – who include Ronan O’Gara in their backroom team – in last season’s pool stages.

Munster, who lost out to Saracens at the semi-final stages of this season’s competition, thumped Leicester at Thomond Park, but fell to a narrow defeat to the Tigers in the return game at Welford Road.

The first round of games in the pool stages of the Champions Cup will take place on the weekend of 13-15 October. 

Champions Cup 2017/18 draw

Pool 1

Wasps, La Rochelle, Ulster, Harlequins

Pool 2

Clermont, Saracens, Ospreys, Northampton

Pool 3

Exeter, Leinster, Montpellier, Glasgow

Pool 4

Munster, Racing 92, Leicester, Castres

Pool 5

Scarlets, Toulon, Bath, Benetton Treviso