The draw for the European Champions Cup and Challenge Cup pool stages were made today and from an Irish perspective, the task is as tough as it could be:

Champions Cup

Pool 2: Clermont Auvergne, Ospreys, Exeter Chiefs, Bordeaux-Begles.

Pool 3: Glasgow Warriors, Northampton Saints, Racing 92, Scarlets.

Pool 4: Stade Francais, Munster, Leicester Tigers, Treviso.

Pool 5: Bath, Toulon, Leinster, Wasps.

Challenge Cup

Pool 1: Connacht, Brive, Newcastle Falcons, Enisei-STM (Russia).

Off The Ball commentator Dave McIntyre has assessed the task awaiting the Irish teams and as he says, it will be tough to see more than one side progressing from their pool in the respective competitions.