Sale Sharks have been drawn against last month's beaten finalists Narbonne in the group stages of next season's European Shield.

Sale will hope winger Jason Robinson returns fully fit from the Lions tour of Australia when he will have some time to recuperate before the pool matches start at the end of September.

The Cheshire outfit will be joined by Narbonne, who lost to Harlequins in a memorable final, Roma and Irish side Connacht in Pool Four of the competition.

Draw:

Pool 1: Rovigo, Montauban, Agen, Ebbw Vale

Pool 2: UCM-Canoe Madrid, Colomiers, Pau, Padova

Pool 3: Beziers, Pontypridd, Overmach Parma, Leeds Tykes

Pool 4: Sale Sharks, RDS Roma, Connacht, Narbonne

Pool 5: Bourgoin, Bristol Shoguns, Neath, Arix Viadana

Pool 6: Dax, London Irish, L'Aquila, Valladolid RAC

Pool 7: Caerphilly, Gran Parma Rugby, Gloucester, La Rochelle

Pool 8: Bologna, Romania, Saracens, Begles-Bordeaux

ROUND 1 - 28/29/30 September:

Pool 1: Rovigo v Montauban; Agen v Ebbw Vale
Pool 2: UCM-Canoe Madrid v Colomiers; Pau v Padova
Pool 3: Beziers v Pontypridd; Overmach Parma v Leeds Tykes
Pool 4: Sale Sharks v RDS Roma; Connacht v Narbonne
Pool 5: Bourgoin v Bristol Shoguns; Neath v Arix Viadana
Pool 6: Dax v London Irish; L'Aquila v Valladolid RAC
Pool 7: Caerphilly v Gran Parma; Gloucester v La Rochelle
Pool 8: Bologna v Romania; Saracens v Begles-Bordeaux

ROUND 2 - 5/6/7 October:

Pool 1: Montauban v Agen; Ebbw Vale v Rovigo
Pool 2: Colomiers v Pau; Padova v UCM-Canoe Madrid
Pool 3: Pontypridd v Overmach Parma; Leeds Tykes v Beziers
Pool 4: RDS Roma v Connacht; Narbonne v Sale Sharks
Pool 5: Bristol Shoguns v Neath; Arix Viadana v Bourgoin
Pool 6: London Irish v L'Aquila; Valladolid RAC v Dax
Pool 7: Gran Parma v Gloucester; La Rochelle v Caerphilly
Pool 8: Romania v Saracens; Begles-Bordeaux v Bologna

ROUND 3 - 26/27/28 October:

Pool 1: Agen v Rovigo; Ebbw Vale v Montauban
Pool 2: Pau v UCM-Canoe Madrid; Padova v Colomiers
Pool 3: Overmach Parma v Beziers; Leeds Tykes v Pontypridd
Pool 4: Connacht v Sale Sharks; Narbonne v RDS Roma
Pool 5: Neath v Bourgoin; Arix Viadana v Bristol Shoguns
Pool 6: L'Aquila v Dax; Valladolid RAC v London Irish
Pool 7: Gloucester v Caerphilly; La Rochelle v Gran Parma
Pool 8: Saracens v Bologna; Begles-Bordeaux v Romania

ROUND 4 - 2/3/4 November:

Pool 1: Rovigo v Agen; Montauban v Ebbw Vale
Pool 2: UCM-Canoe Madrid v Pau; Colomiers v Padova
Pool 3: Beziers v Overmach Parma; Pontypridd v Leeds Tykes
Pool 4: Sale Sharks v Connacht; RDS Roma v Narbonne
Pool 5: Bourgoin v Neath; Bristol Shoguns v Arix Viadana
Pool 6: Dax v L'Aquila; London Irish v Valladolid RAC
Pool 7: Caerphilly v Gloucester; Gran Parma v La Rochelle
Pool 8: Bologna v Saracens; Romania v Begles-Bordeaux

ROUND 5 - 4/5/6 January, 2002

Pool 1: Rovigo v Ebbw Vale; Agen v Montauban
Pool 2: UCM-Canoe Madrid v Padova; Pau v Colomiers
Pool 3: Beziers v Leeds Tykes; Overmach Parma v Pontypridd
Pool 4: Sale Sharks v Narbonne; Connacht v RDS Roma
Pool 5: Bourgoin v Arix Viadana; Neath v Bristol Shoguns
Pool 6: Dax v Valladolid RAC; L'Aquila v London Irish
Pool 7: Caerphilly v La Rochelle; Gloucester v Gran Parma
Pool 8: Bologna v Begles-Bordeaux; Saracens v Romania

ROUND 6 - 11/12/13 January:

Pool 1: Ebbw Vale v Agen; Montauban v Rovigo
Pool 2: Padova v Pau; Colomiers v UCM-Canoe Madrid
Pool 3: Leeds Tykes v Overmach Parma; Pontypridd v Beziers
Pool 4: Narbonne v Connacht; RDS Roma v Sale Sharks
Pool 5: Arix Viadana v Neath; Bristol Shoguns v Bourgoin
Pool 6: Valladolid RAC v L'Aquila; London Irish v Dax
Pool 7: La Rochelle v Gloucester; Gran Parma v Caerphilly
Pool 8: Begles-Bordeaux v Saracens; Romania v Bologna

QUARTER-FINALS: 25/26/27 January
SEMI-FINALS: 27/28 April
EUROPEAN SHIELD FINAL: 25/26 May