SCOTLAND'S representatives have been handed a French double to open their Heineken Cup campaigns next season.
Edinburgh will travel to Paris to face Stade Francais on Saturday 10 October, while Glasgow are at home to Biarritz on the same afternoon.
The fixtures, dates, kick-off times and broadcast details for the first four rounds of the 15th edition o
f Europe's premier club competition were announced yesterday by the tournament organisers, with the Scottish sides to feature heavily in the Sky Sports coverage. All four of Edinburgh's opening matches will be shown live, along with two of Glasgow's.
Edinburgh will follow up their visit to the French capital, where they could face former players Simon Taylor and Hugo Southwell, with a home match against Magners League rivals Ulster. Rounds three and four will see the capital side in back-to-back matches against 1998 Heineken Cup winners, Bath.
After hosting Biarritz, who Glasgow defeated at Firhill in 2007, Sean Lineen's men will travel to Newport Gwent Dragons hoping to avenge last season's damaging defeat at Rodney Parade. They then play English giants Gloucester home and away, with the opener against Biarritz and the trip to Kingsholm both live on Sky.
Responding to the fixtures new Edinburgh head coach Rob Moffat said: "It's important you get off to a good start in Europe, which we didn't manage last year.
"But what we did achieve last season was an away win in France, so we have to target a repeat when we play Stade Francais in October and that would set us up nicely for our opening home game against Ulster.
"Potentially we could catch up with Hugo and Simon when we travel to Paris so that will add a bit of spice to that tie too."
Moffat believes Edinburgh can reach the knockout stages of the Heineken Cup at the same time as mounting a challenge for the Magners League. "That has to be our objective," he said. "Of course a lot has to go in our favour for that to be achieved but we must aim to improve our performances."
Glasgow head coach Lineen is also targeting a last-eight place next season and said: "We beat Biarritz at home 9-6 in a really close game. It's good to get a home game first up. It doesn't make it any easier but it certainly helps focus the mind."
That defeat to the Dragons last season left Glasgow facing an uphill qualification struggle from the off and Lineen said it was vital to avoid any repeat in next season's second match. "That took the wind out of our sails a bit last year," he admitted. "The Dragons are an interesting team to play against. Obviously we know each other very well so our games are never one-sided."
Lineen added: "To qualify for the knock-out stages is what everyone wants. It's important we win all our home games to be in with a chance, but if you really want to progress then you need to win at least one of your away games.
"Right now, we'll need to focus on that first game against Biarritz who are looking very strong."
Leinster will launch their defence of the Heineken Cup against London Irish in Dublin on 9 October.
Brian O'Driscoll and company, who landed a first European title with victory over Leicester in last season's final, face a Friday night opener.
Sky Sports will show at least one match live each Friday night, four each Saturday, and two each Sunday, with extra select matches available live to digital viewers through the interactive function by pressing the red button.
