Who will make their mark in Pool 4? ercrugby.com takes a look...
All Blacks second row Chris Jack will be the big new name with Saracens at Vicarage Road, the 28-year-old finishing the World Cup with 62 caps since his New Zealand debut in 2001.
Another All Black on the move is Daryl Gibson, the centre joining Glasgow Warriors after 28 Heineken Cup appearances for former double champions Leicester Tigers. The Warriors have also added one of the world game's most exciting wings in Samoan international Lome Fa'atau. The former Wellington Hurricanes star was the top scorer in the Super 14 last season with nine tries.
Jack and Gibson could find themselves in early confrontation when Glasgow travel to Saracens in Round 1 while Biarritz Olympique Pays Basque are set to have a major injection of South African talent headed by exciting wing Ashwin Willemse, now capped 17 times by the Springboks following the World Cup.
Biarritz start the Heineken Cup at Viadana, who supplied Josh Sole and Kaine Robertson to the Italian World Cup cause.