Heineken Cup 2011 / 2012 Fixtures

[TRF_Cymro]

2011/12 HEINEKEN CUP FIXTURES - PLEASE SEE ATTACHED WORD DOCUMENT

Leinster face demanding trip to Montpellier in Round 1

Leinster will launch the defence of their Heineken Cup crown with an away trip to Montpellier in Round 1 on Saturday, 12 November, with the French tournament debutants taking the match to Stade de la Mosson, the 32,900-capacity home of League 1 football club Montpellier HSC.

Leinster will also play a fourth tournament match at the Aviva Stadium when they meet Bath Rugby in Round 4 on Saturday, 17 December. The champions have won all three previous games staged at the home of Irish rugby beating ASM Clermont Auvergne in a Pool match and Leicester Tigers and Toulouse in the knock-out stages last season on the way to their second Heineken Cup crown in three seasons.

ERC, the tournament organisers, today (Wednesday, 20 July) announced the fixtures, dates, kick-off times and host broadcasters for the opening four rounds of the 2011 / 2012 tournament.

English champions Saracens â€" who will welcome South Africa’s 2007 World Cup winning captain John Smit to the club in the autumn â€" will take their Round 3 clash with the Ospreys on Saturday, 10 December, to London’s Wembley Stadium.

Connacht Rugby, who join Montpellier in making their Heineken Cup debut this season, will meet Amlin Challenge Cup holders Harlequins in Pool 6 on Friday, 11 November - the opening night of the 17thseason of elite European club rugby action - before welcoming four-time champions Toulouse to Galway in Round 2 on Saturday, 19 November.

Harlequins face a tough away trip in Round 4 when they take on Toulouse at Le Stadium on Sunday, 18 December.

Northampton Saints, the 2011 finalists, will also be on the road in Round 1 as they travel to Thomond Park to meet the 2006 and 2008 Heineken Cup winners, Munster in Pool 1.

Aironi Rugby, the Italian franchise set for their second season in the competition, will have home advantage when they host former double champions Leicester Tigers at Stadio Luigi Zaffanella on the opening Saturday.

POOLS

POOL 1: Munster, Northampton Saints, Scarlets, Castres Olympique
POOL 2: Cardiff Blues, London Irish, Edinburgh, Racing Metro 92
POOL 3: Leinster, Bath Rugby, Glasgow Warriors, Montpellier
POOL 4: Leicester Tigers, ASM Clermont Auvergne, Ulster Rugby, Aironi Rugby
POOL 5: Biarritz Olympique, Ospreys, Saracens, Benetton Treviso
POOL 6: Toulouse, Harlequins, Gloucester Rugby, Connacht Rugby

FIXTURES
(All kick-offs LOCAL time with host broadcaster where relevant)

ROUND 1

FRIDAY, 11 NOVEMBER, 2011
Pool 2 Racing Metro 92 v Cardiff Blues 21.00 Canal+
Pool 6 Harlequins v Connacht Rugby 20.00 Sky Sports

SATURDAY, 12 NOVEMBER, 2011
Pool 1 Scarlets v Castres Olympique 15.00
Pool 1 Munster v Northampton Saints 18.00 Sky Sports
Pool 2 London Irish v Edinburgh 13.30 Sky Sports
Pool 3 Montpellier v Leinster (Stade de la Mosson) 14.30 Canal+
Pool 4 Aironi Rugby v Leicester Tigers 14.30 Sky Italia
Pool 4 Ulster Rugby v ASM Clermont Auvergne 15.40 Sky Sports
Pool 5 Ospreys v Biarritz Olympique 15.40 S4C

SUNDAY, 13 NOVEMBER, 2011
Pool 3 Glasgow Warriors v Bath Rugby 12.45 Sky Sports
Pool 5 Saracens v Benetton Treviso 15.00
Pool 6 Toulouse v Gloucester Rugby 16.00 FR2

ROUND 2

FRIDAY, 18 NOVEMBER, 2011
Pool 1 Northampton Saints v Scarlets 20.00 Sky Sports
Pool 2 Cardiff Blues v London Irish 20.00 S4C
Pool 2 Edinburgh v Racing Metro 92 20.00
Pool 4 ASM Clermont Auvergne v Aironi Rugby 21.00 Canal+

SATURDAY, 19 NOVEMBER, 2011
Pool 1 Castres Olympique v Munster 16.40 FR2
Pool 4 Leicester Tigers v Ulster Rugby 18.00 Sky Sports
Pool 5 Biarritz Olympique v Saracens 14.30 Canal+
Pool 5 Benetton Treviso v Ospreys 14.30 Sky Italia
Pool 6 Gloucester Rugby v Harlequins 15.40 Sky Sports
Pool 6 Connacht Rugby v Toulouse 18.00 Sky Sports

SUNDAY, 20 NOVEMBER, 2011
Pool 3 Leinster v Glasgow Warriors 12.45 Sky Sports
Pool 3 Bath Rugby v Montpellier 15.00 Sky Sports

ROUND 3

FRIDAY, 9 DECEMBER, 2011
Pool 2 Cardiff Blues v Edinburgh 20.00 S4C
Pool 4 Ulster Rugby v Aironi Rugby 19.30
Pool 6 Harlequins v Toulouse 20.00 Sky Sports

SATURDAY, 10 DECEMBER, 2011
Pool 1 Scarlets v Munster 15.40 Sky Sports
Pool 1 Castres Olympique v Northampton Saints 14.30 Canal+
Pool 2 Racing Metro 92 v London Irish 16.40 FR2
Pool 5 Benetton Treviso v Biarritz Olympique 14.30 Sky Italia
Pool 5 Saracens v Ospreys (Wembley Stadium) 18.00 Sky Sports
Pool 6 Connacht Rugby v Gloucester Rugby 13.30 Sky Sports

SUNDAY, 11 DECEMBER, 2011
Pool 3 Glasgow Warriors v Montpellier 12.45 Sky Sports
Pool 3 Bath Rugby v Leinster 12.45 Sky Sports
Pool 4 ASM Clermont Auvergne v Leicester Tigers 16.00 FR2

ROUND 4

FRIDAY, 16 DECEMBER, 2011
Pool 2 Edinburgh v Cardiff Blues 20.00 S4C
Pool 5 Ospreys v Saracens 20.00 Sky Sports
Pool 5 Biarritz Olympique v Benetton Treviso 21.00 Canal+

SATURDAY, 17 DECEMBER, 2011
Pool 2 London Irish v Racing Metro 92 15.00
Pool 3 Montpellier v Glasgow Warriors 16.40 FR2
Pool 3 Leinster v Bath Rugby (Aviva Stadium) 18.00 Sky Sports
Pool 4 Leicester Tigers v ASM Clermont Auvergne 13.30 Sky Sports
Pool 4 Aironi Rugby v Ulster Rugby 14.30 Sky Italia
Pool 6 Gloucester Rugby v Connacht Rugby 15.40 Sky Sports

SUNDAY, 18 DECEMBER, 2011
Pool 1 Munster v Scarlets 12.45 Sky Sports
Pool 1 Northampton Saints v Castres Olympique 15.00 Sky Sports
Pool 6 Toulouse v Harlequins (Le Stadium) 16.00 FR2

ROUND 5

13 / 14 / 15 JANUARY, 2012
Pool 1 Munster v Castres Olympique
Pool 1 Scarlets v Northampton Saints
Pool 2 London Irish v Cardiff Blues
Pool 2 Racing Metro 92 v Edinburgh
Pool 3 Montpellier v Bath Rugby
Pool 3 Glasgow Warriors v Leinster
Pool 4 Aironi Rugby v ASM Clermont Auvergne
Pool 4 Ulster Rugby v Leicester Tigers
Pool 5 Ospreys v Benetton Treviso
Pool 5 Saracens v Biarritz Olympique
Pool 6 Toulouse v Connacht Rugby
Pool 6 Harlequins v Gloucester Rugby

ROUND 6

20 / 21 / 22 JANUARY, 2012
Pool 1 Castres Olympique v Scarlets
Pool 1 Northampton Saints v Munster
Pool 2 Cardiff Blues v Racing Metro 92
Pool 2 Edinburgh v London Irish
Pool 3 Bath Rugby v Glasgow Warriors
Pool 3 Leinster v Montpellier
Pool 4 ASM Clermont Auvergne v Ulster Rugby
Pool 4 Leicester Tigers v Aironi Rugby
Pool 5 Benetton Treviso v Saracens
Pool 5 Biarritz Olympique v Ospreys
Pool 6 Connacht Rugby v Harlequins
Pool 6 Gloucester Rugby v Toulouse


QUARTER-FINALS â€" 6 / 7 / 8 APRIL, 2012
SEMI-FINALS â€" 27 / 28 / 29 APRIL, 2012
17th HEINEKEN CUP FINAL â€" TWICKENHAM STADIUM â€" 19 / 20 MAY, 2012


​

Courtesy of ERC Media

 

[big ginger 8]

Can't wait for the Toluose match. Since we'll obviously thrash them. Ecspecially with 5 of our best players gone.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Semi-finals aren't on the may bank holiday weekend?!
Boss! Will actually get to watch them this year :lol:

 

[munstermuffin]

Not best Munster were hoping for.
We were hoping to go to Saints first rather than play them at home but well I think we will have to try get a good spell going and winning first 5 games is a big ask in the group but I think away wins are vital in this group.

Just a quick question though I thought the previous years winner always opened up the tournament or was I dreaming

 

[coonor]

Big games for both Munster and Ulster in the first round. A win for both of them could really help them build confidence and momentum. The Ospreys also have a must win game against Biarritz and they both will be wanting to improve from their disappointing performances last season.

 

[munstermuffin]

Cooor I think the Tigers game in round 5 may be the big test at home but it hard to say as French teams could be still gelling after all recruits joined but could really take off.

 

[Teh Mite]

Looks like I'm not going to Limirick this time. Typical that Castres would be just before friggin' Christmas too.

Stupid World Cup. <_<

 

[King_D'Arcy]

Leinster fans will get an early Christmas present of 5 points on December 17th

 

[munstermuffin]

Looks like I'm not going to Limirick this time. Typical that Castres would be just before friggin' Christmas too.Stupid World Cup. <_<

Mite you know you were always coming here regardless Should be a good game but Rd 6 has us a bit tense

 

[Thingimubob]

Out of interest how exactly did Connacht qualify? Is it because of Leinster winning the Heineken or Munster winning the Magners? Very glad they're in, just can;t remember which one qualified them... always confuses me...

 

[staph.glorious]

Out of interest how exactly did Connacht qualify? Is it because of Leinster winning the Heineken or Munster winning the Magners? Very glad they're in, just can;t remember which one qualified them... always confuses me...

Leinster winning the Heineken Cup.

The PRO 12 (formerly Magners League) itself currently has no bearing on European qualification. However, both the IRFU and WRU use their respective teams' final standings in this competition as a basis for selecting their representatives in the Heineken Cup and Amlin Challenge Cup. I assume this is by league position. If, for example, it reads

1. Munster
2. Leinster
3. Ulster
4. Connacht
5. etc etc

but Connacht win both playoffs away from home to win the silverware, I do wonder if they would still lose out. Mind, that will be 'the day'!!

(And, sure, Ulster will have taken in their third consecutive European trophy, so they'll all be in the Heineken Cup either way).

 

[Thingimubob]

Ah thought it would be that. Yeah they WRU and IRFU put the lowest ranked of the regions/provinces in the Amlin and the other 3 in the Heineken. Guess its the same as the Scarlets qualifying last season because the Blues won the Amlin.
Haha I like your dreaming!
Also seriously hate the 'Pro12' name, miss the Magners League already <_<

 

[staph.glorious]

Aye, I hate having to sign for a pint.

Haha I like your dreaming!

Nobody suspects the IRFU!!!