Ulster Rugby has been drawn in Pool 3 of the new European Rugby Champions Cup alongside reigning champions Toulon and familiar foes Leicester and Scarlets.
The draw has thrown up a first ever meeting between Ulster and Toulon, who won the Heineken Cup for a second successive time last month with a 23-6 defeat of Saracens. The fixture will provide local fans with the opportunity to see some of the world's best players such as Matt Giteau, Bakkies Botha and European Player of the Year Steffon Amitage. The French side have also recruited James O'Connor, Leigh Halfpenny and Mamuka Gorgodze for the 2014/15 campaign.
The Province have faced Leicester in two of the past three years in European competition, and will be hoping to repeat last season's results by registering both home and way wins.
Ulster's fellow PRO12 side Scarlets are the fourth team in the group and with a squad littered with Welsh internationals, they will ensure all fixtures are competitive.
You can guarantee entry to next season's fixtures against Toulon, Leicester and Scarlets, as well all PRO12 games, with a 2014/15 Season Ticket.
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2014/15 European Rugby Champions Cup
Pool 1: Saracens, Munster Rugby, ASM Clermont Auvergne, Sale Sharks
Pool 2: Leinster Rugby, Castres Olympique, Harlequins, London Wasps
Pool 3: RC Toulon, Leicester Tigers, Ulster Rugby, Scarlets
Pool 4: Glasgow Warriors, Montpellier, Bath Rugby, Toulouse
Pool 5: Northampton Saints, Racing Metro 92, Ospreys, Benetton Treviso
Ulster Rugby's Chief Executive, Shane Logan, described the draw as 'tough, achievable and very exciting'. He said:
"We knew it was going to be tough - with now only 20 teams in the competition it makes it harder all round. We want to play at the top level and we certainly will. I don't think we have anything to fear - I'm not underestimating the task but we're getting better at winning away from home in the big games. Last year we won away to Leicester and Montpellier."
Logan was particularly looking forward to welcoming French side Toulon to Kingspan Stadium next season.
"It's a magnificent fixture - it's mouth watering. We believe we have, perhaps, Europe's best stadium and we want to have Europe's best teams playing at it. That's the beauty of this competition and that's the beauty of what we're trying to create here in Ulster. Toulon have a team that is star studded with some of the world's best players and I know they'll bring a big crowd over and I know that our crowd will more than rival them. It's great for Ulster Rugby and it will be a pleasure to welcome them to Kingspan Stadium," he said.
Ulster will face familiar opposition in the form of Leicester and Scarlets, something Logan is also relishing:
"We're well used to playing Leicester, having met them in two of the past three seasons and interestingly, when we've had them in our pool we've managed to go through to the quarter finals. I think we are the only team in Europe to have gone through to the last eight in each of the last four years. It will be tough, enjoyable, but we'll do our best to make it five years in a row.
"You can't underestimate Scarlets. They beat us well away from home last season although we beat them well in Belfast. It's always a tough battle - they play attractive rugby and have a fine coach in Simon Easterby."
Finally, the Chief Executive believes the Province is continuing the strengthen it's position as a major force in Europe.
"We've lost some magnificent servants but I think it's fair to say that several of them were towards the end of their careers. So what we've done is bring in younger, but experienced players, as it's important to build for the future. We also have a very strong crop of local players. We had the largest contingent of any province starting for Ireland on Saturday and we are investing heavily in our succession. We also have players like Stuart Olding who is a fantastic prospect but missed all of last season through injury. We have depth throughout the squad and world class quality in nearly every position."
"There is real quality in all the pools, but ours, along with one other, looks to be by far the hardest. Reducing the number of clubs to 20 means there is quality in every pool and all the fixtures are going to be tough. We always knew that whatever pool we were in we would have to face teams with many of the best players in the game.
"Ulster have compiled a fantastic squad with a backbone of quality overseas players, but that said, they also have a lot of quality youngsters coming through their system and are a team on the up."