The first weekend of European fixtures in October has produced a series of evocative fixtures and takes Munster, the Heineken Cup holders, to a part of the world where even their inveterate travellers have never been. The Irish province will kick off the 2008-09 tournament on October 10 with, a Friday night game in Montaubon who will become the 55th side to grace the competition.

But the classic fixtures are reserved for October 12 when London Wasps, Leicester and last season's beaten finalists, Toulouse, are all in action. Toulouse, three times champions of Europe, play Bath, the 1998 winners and last season's European Challenge Cup winners, at the Municipal Stadium; Wasps open at home to Castres, who gave them such a difficult pool tie en route to the 2007 title, while Leicester entertain the Ospreys, who beat them in the EDF Energy Cup three months ago.

Toulouse's decision to play their opening tie at the city's main stadium, with its 37,000 capacity, only emphasises the popularity of the European game and is reflected elsewhere by Cardiff Blues. They have already moved their first home tie, with Gloucester on October 19, to the Millennium Stadium.

The only time Toulouse and Bath have met in the Heineken Cup was during the 1999-2000 season, when both teams won a pool game away from home, but next season's opening game will be a measure for Bath of how firmly based was their improvement last season under the coaching of Steve Meehan. They will, after all, be visiting the home of France's champions, Toulouse having held off Clermont Auvergne in last month's Top 14 final.

It will also be a good introduction to European rugby for Heyneke Meyer, Leicester's new coach. The South African will have had five weeks of the Guinness Premiership under his belt by the time Europe comes along but he will have been made aware that not only have Leicester met the Ospreys in the last two seasons of the EDF Cup, they have also played out two tense Heineken Cup pool games with the Welsh province in 2005-06.