Heineken Cup group fixtures announced

The group fixtures for this year's Heineken Cup have been announced.

Ulster and Leicester will meet in a crunch Pool 5 engagement on October 11, the opening night of the tournament at Ravenhill, and another eagerly-anticipated clash will see Amlin Challenge Cup holders Leinster travel to face the Ospreys in Pool 1 the next day - Saturday, October 12.

In Pool 3 Connacht will welcome Saracens to the Sportsgrounds on the Friday evening, while Munster will travel to Scotland to face Edinburgh on the Saturday.

Toulon will begin the defence of their Heineken Cup crown at home to Glasgow Warriors on Sunday, October 13.

Jonathan Sextion will meanwhile hope to be in action for Racing Metro as they face Clermont at home in their Pool 4 opener on the same day.

WATCH: Heineken Cup fixtures video

Tournament organisers European Rugby Cup last week named Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium as the venue for the final, which will take place on Saturday, May 24.

But the long-term future of the competition is in doubt.

The English and French clubs have served notice they will pull out of the Heineken Cup and the Amlin Challenge Cup when the existing participation agreement ends in May 2014; unless changes are made to the sporting and commercial elements of the two tournaments.