Chiefs set to face European champions

By Mark Stevens

Exeter Chiefs will play host to the reigning Heineken Cup champions Toulon following today's draw held at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin.

Jonny Wilkinson and the star-studded French outfit will be heading for Sandy Park next season alongside Cardiff Blues and Glasgow Warriors after the Chiefs were pitted in Pool Two of Europe's top cup competition.

Again it's a dream draw for the Devon club, whose chief executive, Tony Rowe OBE, described today's announcement as "fantastic".

"It's another fantastic draw for the club," said Rowe. "Last year we were pitted against the then champions in Leinster and another real force in Clermont - and this year's we've got the newly-crowned champions Toulon heading our way, as well as two tough teams in Cardiff Blues and Glasgow Warriors.

"We've always said that as a club we want to be competing against the top teams in Europe and I think this draw again underlines just how far we have come in the last few years.

"I have no doubt the Chiefs fans are very happy with the draw and I expect us to again have a real go at all the teams in our pool."

Rowe's sentiments have been echoed by club captain Tom Hayes (pictured), who for a moment thought he may have been heading home to Ireland to tackle former club Munster.

"It was 50-50, wasn't it?" said Hayes. "It would have been nice to have come up against Munster, but equally we're very happy with the draw again. Just looking at the sides in Tier One, we always knew that we would be coming up against one of the biggest sides in Europe.

"It so happens, a bit like last year, we've got the reigning champions again, but we've got two equally tough tests in Cardiff and Glasgow. We've obviously faced Cardiff and Glasgow over the last few years in both the LV= Cup and in pre-season, so we know a bit about them and what kind of threat they pose. That said, whoever you play in the Heineken Cup you know you'll be in for a test and that's what we are going to expect."

The Chiefs showed on their debut in the competition last season that they were more than happy to mix it with the elite of Europe, running Leinster close on both occasions, defeating Scarlets - both home and away - whilst producing two creditable displays against eventual finalists Clermont Auvergne.

"I keep saying it each season, but as a group of players we thrive on these kinds of challenges," added Hayes. "As players and as a group, you want to be testing yourselves against the very best out there. Certainly we felt we did that last season in the Heineken Cup and I've no doubt it will be a similar story again this time.

"Again we'll attack every game as best we can and see where it takes us."

 

Heineken Cup Pools 2013/14 Season

Pool 1: Leinster, Northampton Saints, Ospreys, Castres

Pool 2: Toulon, Cardiff Blues, Glasgow Warriors, Exeter Chiefs

Pool 3: Toulouse, Saracens, Connacht, Zebre

Pool 4: Clermont Auvergne, Harlequins, Scarlets, Racing Metro

Pool 5: Ulster, Leicester Tigers, Montpellier, Benetton Treviso

Pool 6: Munster, Perpignan, Edinburgh, Gloucester

 

Dates

Round 1 11/12/13 October 2013

Round 2 18/19/20 October 2013

Round 3 6/7/8 December 2013

Round 4 13/14/15 December 2013

Round 5 10/11/12 January 2014

Round 6 17/18/19 January 2014

Quarter-finals 4/5/6 April 2014

Semi-finals 25/26/27 April 2014

Final 23/24/25 May 2014