Glasgow Warriors will face two teams who have won the title twice each and be reunited with Fijian favourite Leone Nakarawa in a brutal Qualifying Pool in next season’s European Rugby Champions Cup.
The Warriors have been drawn for the second year in succession with Paris giants Racing 92, beaten finalists this year after winning the pool and the winners of the Top 14 final against Toulon last week.
The Paris club bought Nakarawa out of his contract at Glasgow at the end of last season and the brilliant Fijian second row is likely to meet his old team mates.
English giants Leicester Tigers and Ireland’s Munster, both of whom have won the trophy twice before, make up Pool 3. The Warriors, despite being seeded higher than Leicester or Munster, are the only side in the pool never to have made the quarter-finals.
“It’s three excellent teams we’re playing againt; three big names of European rugby and a fantastic challenge for us,” said Warriors head coach Gregor Townsend.
“We’ll absolutely relish it. If you qualify for the Champions Cup you know you’ll be playing against some of the best teams in Europe. You might get lucky with a team that’s just sneaked in but all the pools look very tough.
“Racing are arguably one of the best teams in Europe, who are full of quality players and have just won the Top 14. It’s going to be a great adventure for us.”
The Warriors look set to be immediately reunited with Scotstoun favourite Leone Nakarawa, who moved to the Paris club this summer.
Edinburgh will see some familiar faces and head to a very unfamiliar place as part of their European Challenge Cup draw.
The capital side will face Harlequins – fielding favourite son Tim Visser and possibly Scotland stand-off Ruaridh Jackson and also the other Paris Top 14 club Stade Francais, who they have met in European competition before.
The trip into the unknown is against Romanian outfit Timosoara Saracens.