Northampton and Bath have been drawn into a brutal Pool Four for next season's Champions Cup, alongside South African giants the Bulls and French side Montpellier. Both clubs bring recent pedigree to the competition, with the Bulls falling to Leinster in the URC final while Montpellier lost the Top 14 showpiece to Toulouse. The pool also includes Stade Francais and Cardiff, making it one of the most competitive groups on paper.

Bristol faces a similarly challenging Pool Three featuring Gloucester, Munster, and defending champions Bordeaux-Begles, who narrowly defeated them at Ashton Gate in January. Meanwhile, Leinster will meet Leicester, Sale and Glasgow in Pool One, setting up a mouth-watering Anglo-Welsh clash with their Premiership opponents. Pool Two sees newly-crowned Top 14 champions Toulouse taking on Saracens, Exeter and Connacht in a pool packed with European pedigree.

In the Challenge Cup, Harlequins find themselves grouped with three-time Champions Cup winners Toulon, plus Edinburgh and Ospreys. Newcastle are drawn with Scarlets, Benetton and Sharks in Pool Two, while Ulster face French opposition Bayonne and Perpignan alongside Dragons. The quality across both competitions reflects the growing strength of European club rugby.

With fixture dates and home advantage still to be confirmed, these draws set up compelling narratives for the season ahead. Northampton and Bath will need to deliver their best performances consistently to navigate Pool Four's minefield and reach the knockout stages.