Rugby Union: Saracens drawn with Clermont Auvernge in pool stages of European Champions Cup
Saracens' celebrate after winning the European Champions Cup Final at Murrayfield (pic Mike Egerton/PA) - Credit: PA Wire/PA Images
Sarries beat French club in May’s final, but will meet in Pool Two next year
Saracens face a repeat of last season’s European Champions Cup final in the group stages of this term’s competition after being drawn in Pool Two alongside Top 14 champions Clermont Auvergne.
The teams met in the final in Edinburgh in May, but will meet in the first round this time around and are joined in the group by Pro12 side Ospreys and Premiership rivals Northampton Saints.
Despite winning the competition for the past two seasons, Sarries were among the second seeds in the draw by virtue of their performance in last year’s Premiership.
Pool matches will take place over the weekends of October 13-15, October 20-22, December 8-10, December 15-17, January 12-14 and January 19-21.
Should Sarries progress, the quarter-finals will be from March 30 to April 1, with the semi-finals from April 21-22 and the final in Bilabao’s San Mames Stadium on May 12.
Fixtures will be announced in the coming weeks.
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Draw in full, Pool One: Wasps, La Rochelle, Ulster, Harlequins
Pool Two: Clermont Auvergne, Saracens, Ospreys, Northampton Saints
Pool Three: Exeter Chief, Leinster, Montpellier, Glasgow Warriors
Pool Four: Munster, Racing, Leicester Tigers, Castres
Pool Five: Scarlets, Toulon, Bath, Benetton
