European Champions Cup: Ospreys face English and French champions
- Published
Ospreys qualified for the European Champions Cup as the highest placed Welsh side in last season's United Rugby Championship
Ospreys have been drawn against the champions of France and England in the 2022-23 European Champions Cup.
Wales' only representatives have been placed in Pool B and will face home and away games against Montpellier and Leicester.
Matches will be played in December and January before eight sides from two pools progress to the last 16.
Ospreys failed to win a single game last season in the second-tier European Challenge Cup.
They qualified for Europe's top tier by winning the United Rugby Championship Welsh Shield, finishing top among their domestic rivals, but in ninth overall.
Ospreys had coach Toby Booth said: "We want to test ourselves against the best, there's two of the best right there. I'm very familiar with Leicester.
"Europe, you talk about the difference in competitions, it's not the norm, we get used to the surroundings around us, we know the opposition well, there is just a different edge to the European competition.
"Obviously with the URC [United Rugby Championship] champions as well, the South African influences as well, the level of competition is going up, and that's exciting - and an extreme challenge but one we look forward to."
Wales' three other regions will all play in the 2022-23 European Challenge Cup.
Scarlets and Dragons RFC have been draw in Pool A, with Cardiff RFC placed in Pool B
As in the top-tier competition, each side faces four pool games, two at home and two away.
Scarlets will face South African side Cheetahs - who will play their home games at a European venue - and French club Bayonne.
Dragons will have home and away games with previous winners Pau and Wasps.
Cardiff's opponents will be Brive and Newcastle.
European match rounds for the coming season are 9/10/11 December and 16/17/18 December 2022, followed by rounds three and four on 13/14/15 and 20/21/22 January 2023.
Last-16 ties will take place on 31 March/1/2 April, with quarter-finals and semi-final matches later that month.
Dublin's Aviva Stadium will host both finals on Friday, 19 May (Challenge Cup) and Saturday, 20 May (Champions Cup).