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Ulster handed testing Champions Cup draw for next season
Ulster have been handed a testing Champions Cup draw for next season with the news that they will face holders La Rochelle in the pool stages.
Once again the competition will have only four games, played on a home and away basis, before the knock-outs with Dan McFarland's side also playing English Premiership side Sale.
Former Irish international Ronan O'Gara's La Rochelle beat Leinster last year to be crowned European champions for the first time and they have met Ulster just twice before with each side winning on their own patch back in 2017/18. The northern province have never previously played Sale before in a competitive game.
Leinster were drawn in Pool A and will take on Gloucester and Racing 92, while Munster are with Ulster in Pool B and will face Toulouse and Northampton.
Connacht are in the second tier Challenge Cup and will play Brive and Newcastle Falcons.
Next season's final will be played at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin.
2022/23 Champions Cup weekends
Round 1 – 9/10/11 December 2022
Round 2 – 16/17/18 December 2022
Round 3 – 13/14/15 January 2023
Round 4 – 20/21/22 January 2023
Round of 16 – 31 March/ 1/2 April 2023
Quarter-finals – 7/8/9 April 2023
Semi-finals – 28/29/30 April 2023
EPCR Challenge Cup final – Friday 19 May 2023
Heineken Champions Cup final – Saturday 20 May 2023
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