The 2003/2004 Heineken Cup Fixtures : Irish Rugby

Munster and Ulster will be away in their opening Heineken Cup matches, Leinster Lions have home advantage and the title holders Toulouse will be in London

Munster and Ulster will be away in their opening Heineken Cup matches, Leinster Lions will have home advantage and the title holders Toulouse will be in London on the opening day to begin their defence of the trophy against Warren Gatland's Wasps.

Round 1 - 5/6/7 December, 2003.POOL 1: Stade Francais v Leicester Tigers; Gwent Dragons v Ulster. POOL 2: Leeds Tykes v Neath/Swansea; Edinburgh Rugby v Toulouse. POOL 3: Sale Sharks v Cardiff Blues; Leinster Lions v Biarritz Olympique. POOL 4: SU Agen v The Borders; Llanelli Scarlets v Northampton Saints. POOL 5: Bourgoin v Munster; Benetton Treviso v Gloucester. POOL 6: Celtic Warriors v Ghial Amatori & Calvisano; London Wasps v Perpignan.

Round 2 -12/13/14 December. POOL 1:Leicester Tigers v Gwent Dragons; Ulster v Stade Francais. POOL 2: Neath/Swansea v Edinburgh Rugby; Toulouse v Leeds Tykes. POOL 3: Cardiff Blues v Leinster Lions; Biarritz Olympique v Sale Sharks. POOL 4: The Borders v Llanelli Scarlets; Northampton Saints v SU Agen. POOL 5: Munster v Benetton Treviso; Gloucester v Bourgoin. POOL 6: Ghial Amatori & Calvisano v London Wasps; Perpignan v Celtic Warriors.

Round 3 - 9/10/11 January, 2004. POOL 1: Gwent Dragons v Stade Francais; Ulster v Leicester Tigers. POOL 2: Edinburgh Rugby v Leeds Tykes; Toulouse v Neath/Swansea. POOL 3: Leinster Lions v Sale Sharks; Biarritz Olympique v Cardiff Blues. POOL 4: Llanelli Scarlets v SU Agen; Northampton Saints v The Borders. POOL 5: Benetton Treviso v Bourgoin; Gloucester v Munster.

POOL 6: London Wasps v Celtic Warriors; Perpignan v Ghial Amatori & Calvisano.

Round 4 - 16/17/18 January. POOL 1: Stade Francais v Gwent Dragons; Leicester Tigers v Ulster. POOL 2: Leeds Tykes v Edinburgh Rugby; Neath/Swansea v Toulouse. POOL 3: Sale Sharks v Leinster Lions; Cardiff Blues v Biarritz Olympique. POOL 4: SU Agen v Llanelli Scarlets; The Borders v Northampton Saints. POOL 5: Bourgoin v Benetton Treviso; Munster v Gloucester.POOL 6: Celtic Warriors v London Wasps; Ghial Amatori & Calvisano v Perpignan.

Round 5 - 23/24/25 January. POOL 1:Stade Francais v Ulster; Gwent Dragons v Leicester Tigers. POOL 2: Leeds Tykes v Toulouse; Edinburgh Rugby v Neath/Swansea. POOL 3: Sale Sharks v Biarritz Olympique; Leinster Lions v Cardiff Blues. POOL 4: SU Agen v Northampton Saints; Llanelli Scarlets v The Borders. POOL 5: Bourgoin v Gloucester; Benetton Treviso v Munster. POOL 6: Celtic Warriors v Perpignan; London Wasps v Ghial Amatori & Calvisano.

Round 6 - 30/31 January/1 February. POOL 1:Ulster v Gwent Dragons; Leicester Tigers v Stade Francais. POOL 2: Toulouse v Edinburgh Rugby; Neath/Swansea v Leeds Tykes. POOL 3: Biarritz Olympique v Leinster Lions; Cardiff Blues v Sale Sharks. POOL 4: Northampton Saints v Llanelli Scarlets; The Borders v SU Agen. POOL 5: Gloucester v Benetton Treviso; Munster v Bourgoin. POOL 6: Perpignan v London Wasps; Ghial Amatori & Calvisano v Celtic Warriors.

Heineken Cup quarter-finals: 9/10/11 April.

Heineken Cup semi-finals: 24/25 April.

Heineken Cup final: 22/23 May 2004.

Centre Chris Farrell had a NatWest 6 Nations debut to remember as his man-of-the-match performance helped Ireland to a 37-27 bonus point win over Wales at the Aviva Stadium.

Ireland skills and kicking coach Richie Murphy spoke to Irish Rugby TV about Dan Biggar, Liam Williams and Leigh Halfpenny and the attacking threats they will pose for Ireland at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday (kick-off 2.15pm).