Champions Cup and Challenge Cup draw in full as Welsh clubs discover pool fates

Cardiff will take on heavyweights Toulouse and Harlequins once again as they discovered their Champions Cup pool fate on their return to European rugby's top tier.

The Arms Park side famously put up an incredible battle against the two clubs back in 2021 when the Welsh side had been robbed of several first-team stars through quarantine.

A hastily-assembled side of semi-pro, youth and the odd senior player fought valiantly against two clubs who were, at that point, the champions of France and England respectively.

Given the exodus of players due to budget cuts, it's perhaps fitting that Cardiff have been drawn against these two sides - as well as Bath, Racing 92 and Ulster in Pool 2 - on their return to the top tier of European rugby.

It also hands them an instant chance to go up against Dillon Lewis and Jarrod Evans after the pair of Wales internationals moved to Quins this summer.

The format will see Cardiff play one match against each of Toulouse, Harlequins, Racing 92 and Bath - with two at home and two on the road.

In the Challenge Cup, the other three Welsh sides all discovered their fate.

The Dragons were drawn into Pool 1 alongside Section Paloise, Zebre, Oyonnax, Cell C Sharks and the first of the invitational teams.

Pool 2 consists of the Ospreys, USAP, Newcastle Falcons, Emirates Lions, Montpellier and Benetton.

And finally, the Scarlets find themselves in Pool 3 with Edinburgh, Castes Olympique, ASM Clermont Auvergne, Gloucester and the second invitational team.

Those three Welsh teams are also waiting to find out who they will face from their respective pools. The new format for next season dictates that clubs will play four different opponents home or away during the pool stage with same-league matches being kept