Northampton and Bath will be placed in the same competitive pool next season for the Champions Cup, alongside the Pretoria-based Bulls and Top 14 semifinalists Montpellier.
The Bulls’ latest URC final defeat against Leinster in June and Montpellier’s narrow loss to Toulouse in France’s top-tier league underscore the pool’s intensity.
Completing Pool Four are Stade Francais, who advanced to the Top 14 semi-finals, and Cardiff, the highest-ranked Welsh side in the URC.
Bristol is grouped in Pool Three with Gloucester, Munster, and the defending champions Bordeaux-Begles.
Toulouse, having secured a fourth consecutive French title, will challenge Saracens, Exeter, and Connacht in Pool Two.
Leinster will face Leicester, Sale, and Glasgow in Pool One.
Harlequins are matched against three-times Champions Cup winners Toulon, Edinburgh, and Ospreys in the Challenge Cup’s second tier.
Newcastle is placed in Pool Two with Scarlets, Benetton, and Sharks.
Ulster’s Pool Three includes Bayonne, Perpignan, and Dragons as their French opposition.
The finalized fixture schedule, potentially featuring critical home games, will be released this month.