The UK launch of the 2012/13 Heineken Cup and Amlin Challenge Cup season took place at Sky Studios in London today.
Head Coaches and captains of the six English, three Welsh and two Scottish Heineken Cup clubs, as well as Amlin Challenge Cup representatives, London Irish, London Wasps and London Welsh, attended the event along with a strong UK media presence.
The global appeal of the Heineken Cup, which is widely regarded as the world's most competitive club rugby tournament, was reflected by the club representation which was made up of players and coaches from seven countries including Australia, South Africa and Samoa.
Among the playing luminaries in attendance were Chris Robshaw of Harlequins, Leicester Tigers skipper, Geordan Murphy, Greig Laidlaw of Edinburgh Rugby, Ospreys captain, Alun Wyn Jones, Tom Hayes of Heineken Cup newcomers, Exeter Chiefs, and Jon Mills of European first-timers, London Welsh.
The coaching staff included Conor O'Shea of 2011 Amlin Challenge Cup winners and 2012 Aviva Premiership champions, Harlequins, Northampton Saints Director of Rugby, Jim Mallinder, Gregor Townsend of Glasgow Warriors, Richard Cockerill of Leicester Tigers and Simon Easterby of Scarlets.
The 2013 finals of the Amlin Challenge Cup and Heineken Cup will take place in Dublin on the 17/18 May with the European kick-off scheduled for Thursday, 11 October.
Following from the events in London and Paris, further launches of the tournaments are taking place in Dublin and in Rome before the 18th season of European club rugby gets underway.
