Ulster handed tough Heineken draw

Ulster have once again been drawn in a high-class pool for next season's Heineken Cup.

The Ravenhill team will meet French outfit Stade Francais for the second straight year.

Top English Premiership club Bath are also in Pool Four and Magners League side Edinburgh complete the quartet.

Champions Leinster have been drawn alongside London Irish, Scarlets and Brive while Munster face Perpignan, Northampton and Treviso.

Guinness Premiership champions Leicester face Ospreys, Clermont Auvergne and Viadana in Pool Three.

Cardiff Blues, Sale, Harlequins and three-time champions Toulouse are all in a tough-looking Pool Five.

Biarritz are the seeded team in Pool Two and face Gloucester, Newport Gwent Dragons and Glasgow.

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Heineken Cup 2009/10 draw:

Pool 1
Munster (Ire)
Perpignan (Fra)
Northampton (Eng)
Treviso (Ita)

Pool 2
Biarritz (Fra)
Gloucester (Eng)
Newport Gwent Dragons (Wal)
Glasgow (Sco)

Pool 3
Leicester (Eng)
Ospreys (Wal)
Clermont Auvergne (Fra)
Viadana (Ita)

Pool 4
Bath (Eng)
Stade Francais (Fra)
Ulster (Ire)
Edinburgh (Sco)

Pool 5
Toulouse (Fra)
Cardiff Blues (Wal)
Sale (Eng)
Harlequins (Eng)

Pool 6
Leinster (Ire)
London Irish (Eng)
Scarlets (Wal)
Brive (Fra)

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Heineken Cup fixtures:

Round One: 9-11 October

Round Two: 16-18 October

Round Three: 11-13 December

Round Four: 18-20 December

Round Five: 15-17 January

Round Six: 22-24 January

Quarter-finals: 9-19 April

Semi-finals: 1-2 May

Final: 22 May (Stade de France)