European Professional Club Rugby (EPCR) have this afternoon confirmed the dates and times for Pool 4 of the European Rugby Champions Cup (Champions Cup) for the 2016/17 season.
At the Champions Cup draw in June, Leinster were drawn in Pool 4 together with Montpellier, Northampton Saints and Castres and it’s against Castres that Leinster will begin their campaign as they visit the RDS Arena on Saturday, 15th October with a 3.15pm kick off.
Leo Cullen’s charges will follow that up with a trip to France the week after to take on Montpellier on Sunday 23rd October 2016 in the Altrad Stadium at 2.00pm.
Both games will be shown on SKY Sports.
Rounds 3 and 4 will have back to back clashes with Northampton Saints with Leinster visiting Franklin’s Gardens first for a Friday night 7.45pm kick off on the 9th December 2016.
Eight days later the Saints visit the Aviva Stadium on Saturday 17th December 2016 for a 7.45pm kick off.
Both of these games will be shown on BT Sports.
The details for Rounds 5 and 6 will be announced at a later date but Leinster will host Montpellier in Round 5 with a trip to Castres to follow in Round 6.
Montpellier finished in third position in the Top 14 last season and also won the European Rugby Challenge Cup with a 26-19 win over Harlequins. Castres finished in sixth position in the Top 14 while Northampton Saints finished in fifth position in the Aviva Premiership.
There is also recent history against all three teams with Leinster playing against Castres as recently as the 2014/15 season, Northampton Saints the season before that and also memorably in the Heineken Cup Final in May 2011.
Leinster last played against Montpellier in the 2011/12 campaign drawing 16-16 away from home before winning 25-3 in Round 6 in the RDS.
Dates for the Diary:
Round 1: 15 October v Castres, RDS Arena, 3.15pm, SKY Sports
Round 2: 23 October v Montpellier, Altrad Stadium, 2.00pm, SKY Sports
Round 3: 9 December v Northampton Saints, Franklin’s Gardens, 7.45pm, BT Sports
Round 4: 17 December v Northampton Saints, Aviva Stadium, 7.45pm, BT Sports
Round 5: 12/13/14/15 January 2017 v Montpellier, RDS Arena, TBC
Round 6: 19/20/21/22 January 2017 v Castres, Stade Pierre-Antoine, TBC
Quarter-finals: 30/31 March – 1/2 April 2017
Semi-finals: 21/22/23 April 2017
Final: BT Murrayfield, 13 May 2017
