Champions Saracens drawn with beaten finalists Clermont

Saracens beat Clermont 28-17 in last season's Final before the French club rebounded to claim the Top 14 title. Joining them in Pool Two will be Northampton and Ospreys.

Saracens crashed in the semifinals of the English Premiership play-offs, Exeter going on to win the league.

Exeter were drawn in Pool Three alongside Montpellier, Leinster and Glasgow, while Racing 92 were pooled with Munster, Leicester and Castres in Pool Four.

Beaten English finalists Wasps were included in Pool One with La Rochelle, who finished leaders of the Top 14 at the end of the regular season, Ulster and Harlequins.

Pro12 champions Scarlets drew French giants Toulon, Bath and Treviso, the traditional whipping boys from Italy, in Pool Five.

The five pool winners and three best-placed pool runners-up qualify for the knock-out phases, with the final to be held in the northern Spanish city of Bilbao.

Pools:

Pool One: Wasps (ENG), La Rochelle (FRA), Ulster (IRL), Harlequins (ENG)

Pool Two: Clermont (FRA), Saracens (ENG), Ospreys (WAL), Northampton (ENG) 

Pool Three: Exeter (ENG), Leinster (IRL), Montpellier (FRA), Glasgow (SCO)

Pool Four: Munster (IRL), Racing 92 (FRA), Leicester (ENG), Castres (FRA)

Pool Five: Scarlets (WAL), Toulon (FRA), Bath (ENG), Treviso (ITA)

AFP