Guy Noves’ squad then travel to Harlequins – double conquerors of Stade Francais last season – before potentially decisive home and away games against Cardiff Blues – who knocked them out at the quarter final stage last year.

Heineken Cup Pools & Fixtures / Top 14 Table / Top 14 Transfers / Top 14 Fixtures 2009/10 / Pre-season friendlies

Their final two pool matches are at home to Harlequins and away to Sale, with venues for all three matches yet to be confirmed as Stade Toulousian contemplate switching the games to larger venues.

Top 14 champions Perpignan begin their quest for Europe’s top honour with a trip to Italy to play Benetton Treviso (on October 10^th) before entertaining the 2008/9 ECC champions Northampton Saints in Pool 1.

Their crucial back-to-back fixtures in December see them travel to Thomond Park to take on 2007/8 champions Munster (on December 11^th), with the return leg at the Stade Aime Giral five days before Christmas.

The Catalans then conclude their pool matches with the reverse trip to Northampton and a home game against Benetton Treviso.

Basque giants Biarritz also begin their 2009/10 campaign with an away match, travelling to Scotland to play Glasgow Warriors at Firhill Arena in Pool 2 (on October 10^th), before playing host to Gloucester at the Parc des Sports Aguilera (on October 17^th).

Their middle games see home and away to Welsh side Newport Gwent Dragons (on December 13^th and 18^th), before wrapping up their pool games with an away trip to Gloucester and a home match against Glasgow.

Glasgow coach Sean Lineen is confident his team can overcome Biarritz as they did two years ago. “A repeat of that result would certainly be the perfect start to our campaign. It’s good to get a home game first up. It doesn’t make it any easier, but it certainly helps focus the mind,” he said.

Top 14 runners-up Clermont Auvergne open up with what should be a straightforward home game against Italian side Viadana (on October 10^th) in Pool 3 before the far more testing tie of a trip to Wales to take on the Ospreys (on October 18^th).

But their crucial matches come in the middle of the pool programme with home and away games against Guinness Premiership champions Leicester Tigers (on December 13^th and 19^th), before concluding their group matches at home to the Ospreys and away to Viadana.

Stade Francais will be hoping to make up for a disappointing 2008/9 campaign when they get started with a home match against Edinburgh (on October 10^th) in Pool 4, with old boys Simon Taylor and Hugo Southwell set to feature against their former club. The venue for that game, and their later home matches against Ulster and Bath, has yet to be confirmed, although it seems likely they will switch at least one match to the Stade de France.

Their second match sees them travel to Bath (on October 18^th), before a tricky trip to take on Ulster at Ravenhill (on December 12^th). Homes games against Ulster and Bath follow, before their final games away to Edinburgh.

Former champions Brive return to the Heineken Cup with an away trip to Wales to play Llanelli Scarlets (on October 10^th) – with number eight Alix Popham in line for a high-octane clash against his former club - before a home match against defending champions Leinster.