Saracens have been drawn in the Champions Cup final to face Clermont after being drawn in the same group as the recently crowned French champions for the 2017-18 season.

Saracens became the fourth team to defend their European title after leading Clermont 28-17 at Murrayfield last month as the fierce rivals will meet again having being drawn together in Pool 2.
The first round will be coming up during the weekend of October 13, 14 and 15 as the final will commence seven months later at the San Mames Stadium, Bilbao, Spain.

Exeter entered Thursday’s draw in Neuchatel, Switzerland, being among the three top seeds and their reward is matches against Leinster, Glasgow and Montpellier in Pool 3.

Leinster lost 27-22 to Clermont in the semi-finals last season, while Glasgow fell to Saracens a round earlier.

A second all-Premiership collision will take place in Pool 1, where beaten domestic finalists Wasps tackle Harlequins, alongside clashes with Ulster and La Rochelle.

The most attritional among all the groups includes Leicester, who have to battle French play-off sides Racing 92 and Castres and lock horns with beaten Pro12 finalists Munster.

Bath, the seventh and final English club involved in next season’s Champions Cup, have been given discouraging home and away fixtures against Toulon and also face Pro12 winners the Scarlets, but can at least take comfort from the presence in Pool 5 of Italian club Benetton.

The appearance of the European two-time runners-up Toulouse dominates the line-up for the Challenge Cup and it is Sale who has been matched with the fallen giants.

Cardiff and Lyon are as well in action in Pool 2, which is the pick of the second tier competition’s groups, and Sharks boss Steve Diamond is aware that a grueling campaign is waiting for them.