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Leicester Tigers avoid big guns in Heineken Cup draw

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Leicester Tigers have avoided Europe's big guns for next season's Heineken Cup.

Leicester were picked in Pool Five, along with Ulster, Montpellier and Treviso, when the draw was made in Dublin yesterday.

While all three of those clubs will represent the sort of challenge expected at Europe's top table, Tigers will fancy their chances of making a second consecutive quarter-final having avoided the likes of Clermont, Leinster, Toulouse and champions Toulon.

Leicester last met Irish side Ulster in 2011-12 when they were knocked out of the tournament after a comprehensive defeat in Belfast.

Italian side Treviso have been pool opponents three times in the last five years, while Tigers have never met French Top 14 side Montpellier in the competition.

Ironically, Tigers will play Montpellier in pre-season at the Geneva Challenge in early August. They will also face Ulster at Welford Road later that month.

Tigers director of rugby Richard Cockerill said he was expecting a typically tough campaign.

"The Heineken Cup is a very competitive tournament and we're proud of our history of qualifying to be in it every season," he said.

"You always know you are going to be in a hotly-contested pool and next season's draw is no different.

"Ulster reached the Heineken Cup Final just a year ago after coming out of our pool, and they topped the table in the Celtic League competition this year.

"Montpellier had a strong season in the French Top 14 and were only eliminated in the play-offs by the eventual champions Castres. They are recruiting strongly for next season and will undoubtedly present a tough challenge.

"We know Treviso well after being paired with them in recent seasons. They have a lot of the Italian national squad in their ranks and they are always tough opponents.

"But we have a good squad too, our supporters always travel in strength across Europe."

Ulster were extremely consistent in the Pro12 this season, finishing top of the table after 17 wins in 22 games before losing the final to Leinster at the RDS, in Dublin.

Treviso have often been seen as the whipping boys of Heineken Cup rugby having won just 18 out their 90 matches in the competition.

But they finished a very respectable seventh in the Pro12 last season and came within a last-gasp penalty try of beating tTigers in Italy when the sides met in the same competition last season.

Montpellier finished fifth in last season's French Top 14 and have signed some big names for their 2013-14 campaign. One of those is former Tigers lock Jim Hamilton, who has made the move from Gloucester.

France international Nicolas Mas will beef up the Montpellier front-row and South African centre Wynand Olivier is another big-money arrival from Super 15 side, the Bulls.

The order of fixtures, plus kick-off dates and times for rounds one to four, will be announced later this summer.

Leicester Tigers avoid big guns in Heineken Cup draw


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