Northampton & Bath handed tough Champions Cup assignments

Northampton and Bath will compete for points in the same tough Champions Cup pool next season, having been drawn alongside the Pretoria-based Bulls and Top 14 runners-up Montpellier. The Bulls lost in the United Rugby Championship (URC) final against Leinster in June, while Montpellier were also one match from glory, beaten by Toulouse in France's showpiece league competition. Stade Francais, who reached the Top 14 semi-finals, and Cardiff - the top-ranked Welsh side in the URC - complete a competitive Pool Four. Elsewhere, Bristol will face Gloucester and Munster in Pool Three, as well as being reunited with defending champions Bordeaux-Begles. The French superpower took a narrow victory at Ashton Gate when the teams met at the same stage in January. Leinster will take on Leicester, Sale and Glasgow in Pool One, while Toulouse - who clinched a fourth successive French title last weekend - will provide opposition for Saracens, Exeter and Connacht in Pool Two. In the second-tier Challenge Cup, Harlequins have been drawn alongside three-time Champions Cup winners Toulon, along with Edinburgh and Ospreys. Newcastle are in Pool Two with Scarlets, Benetton and Sharks. Ulster have Bayonne and Perpignan as their French opposition in Pool Three, as well as Dragons. The fixture list, with potentially crucial home advantage, will be announced later this month.