In today’s draw, made in the ERC offices in Dublin and scrutinised by the IRB’s Head of Legal Affairs Susan Ahern, the 2003 tournament winners were drawn in Pool 4 while Bourgoin, the 1997 winners and 2009 finalists, will be up against Leeds Carnegie, Overmach Rugby Parma and Bucuresti Oaks in Pool 2.

The draw for the five Pools of four teams each also saw Spanish invitation team Olympus Rugby XV Madrid, who will play their home matches at Estadio Universidad Complutense, drawn to face Worcester Warriors, Connacht Rugby and Montpellier in Pool 2.

The five Tier 1 teams – London Wasps, Saracens, Bourgoin, Newcastle Falcons and Worcester Warriors – were kept apart in separate Pools with only French clubs drawn in the same Pools as they will have eight teams taking part in the competition.

EUROPEAN CHALLENGE CUP 2009/10 POOLS
POOL 1: Bourgoin, Leeds Carnegie, Overmach Rugby Parma, Bucuresti Oaks
POOL 2: Worcester Warriors, Connacht Rugby, Montpellier, Olympus Rugby XV Madrid
POOL 3: Saracens, Castres Olympique, Toulon, Rugby Rovigo
POOL 4: London Wasps, Rugby Calvisano, Bayonne, Racing-Metro 92
POOL 5: Newcastle Falcons, Montauban, Petrarca Rugby, Albi

NOTE

EUROPEAN CHALLENGE CUP 2009/10 TIERS
TIER 1: London Wasps, Saracens, Bourgoin, Worcester Warriors, Newcastle Falcons
TIER 2: Castres Olympique, Leeds Carnegie, Rugby Calvisano, Connacht Rugby, Montauban
TIER 3: Montpellier, Overmach Rugby Parma, Bayonne, Petrarca Rugby, Toulon
TIER 4: Rugby Rovigo, Racing-Metro 92, Albi, Bucuresti Oaks, Olympus Rugby XV Madrid

EUROPEAN CHALLENGE CUP 2009/10 FIXTURES
ROUND 1 – 8/9/10/11 October, 2009
ROUND 2 – 15/16/17/18 October, 2009
ROUND 3 -10/11/12/13 December, 2009
ROUND 4 -17/18/19/20 December, 2009
ROUND 5 – 14/15/16/17 January, 2010
ROUND 6 – 21/22/23/24 January, 2010
QUARTER-FINALS – 8 / 9 / 10 / 11 April, 2010
SEMI-FINALS – 30 / 1 / 2 May, 2010
EUROPEAN CHALLENGE CUP FINAL – 21 / 22 / 23 May, 2010