Following the draw last week the European Shield fixture list has been set subject to confirmation from the participating clubs.

Games will be played on the same weekends as the Heineken Cup so no clashes were expected although the French championship has yet to be finalised and next season's domestic fixture list compiled.

Unlike this year the winners of the Shield will gain automatic entry in to the Heineken Cup the following season.

The fixture list in full:

6/7/8 October

Pool 1: Cross Keys v Begles-Bordeaux; Benetton Treviso v Newcastle Falcons
Pool 2: Montferrand v Neath; Connacht v Beziers
Pool 3: Rotherham v Grenoble; Bridgend v Perpignan
Pool 4: Caerphilly v Agen; Auch v Manchester Sale
Pool 5: NEC Harlequins v Perigueux; Dax v Ebbw Vale
Pool 6: Brive v Piacenza; Toulon v London Irish
Pool 7: Bristol v Mont-de-Marsan; Parma v La Rochelle
Pool 8: Narbonne v Viadana; Bourgoin v Romania

13/14/15 October

Pool 1: Begles Bordeaux v Treviso; Newcastle Falcons v Cross Keys
Pool 2: Neath v Connacht; Beziers v Montferrand
Pool 3: Grenoble v Bridgend; Perpignan v Rotherham
Pool 4: Agen v Auch; Manchester Sale v Caerphilly
Pool 5: Perigueux v Dax; Ebbw Vale v NEC Harlequins
Pool 6: Piacenza v Toulon; London Irish v Brive
Pool 7: Mont-de-Marsan v Parma; La Rochelle v Bristol
Pool 8: Viadana v Bourgoin; Romania v Narbonne

20/21/22 October

Pool 1: Cross Keys v Benetton Treviso; Begles-Bordeaux v Newcastle Falcons
Pool 2: Montferrand v Connacht; Neath v Beziers
Pool 3: Rotherham v Bridgend; Grenoble v Perpignan
Pool 4: Caerphilly v Auch; Agen v Manchester Sale
Pool 5: NEC Harlequins v Dax; Perigueux v Ebbw Vale
Pool 6: Brive v Toulon; Piacenza v London Irish
Pool 7: Bristol v Parma; Mont-de-Marsan v La Rochelle
Pool 8: Narbonne v Bourgoin; Viadana v Romania

27/28/29 October

Pool 1: Benetton Treviso v Cross Keys; Newcastle Falcons v Begles-Bordeaux
Pool 2: Connacht v Montferrand; Beziers v Neath
Pool 3: Bridgend v Rotherham; Perpignan v Grenoble
Pool 4: Auch v Caerphilly; Manchester Sale v Agen
Pool 5: Dax v NEC Harlequins; Ebbw Vale v Perigueux
Pool 6: Toulon v Brive; London Irish v Piacenza
Pool 7: Parma v Bristol; La Rochelle v Mont-de-Marsan
Pool 8: Bourgoin v Narbonne; Romania v Viadana

12/13/14 January, 2001

Pool 1: Begles-Bordeaux v Cross Keys; Newcastle Falcons v Benetton Treviso
Pool 2: Neath v Montferrand; Beziers v Connacht
Pool 3: Grenoble v Rotherham; Perpignan v Bridgend
Pool 4: Agen v Caerphilly; Manchester Sale v Auch
Pool 5: Perigueux v NEC Harlequins; Ebbw Vale v Dax
Pool 6: Piacenza v Brive; London Irish v Toulon
Pool 7: Mont-de-Marsan v Bristol; La Rochelle v Parma
Pool 8: Viadana v Narbonne; Romania v Bourgoin

19/20/21 January

Pool 1: Benetton Treviso v Begles-Bordeaux; Cross Keys v Newcastle Falcons
Pool 2: Connacht v Neath; Montferrand v Beziers
Pool 3: Bridgend v Grenoble; Rotherham v Perpignan
Pool 4: Auch v Agen; Caerphilly v Manchester Sale
Pool 5: Dax v Perigueux; NEC Harlequins v Ebbw Vale
Pool 6: Toulon v Piacenza; Brive v London Irish
Pool 7: Parma v Mont-de-Marsan; Bristol v La Rochelle
Pool 8: Bourgoin v Viadana; Narbonne v Romania

Quarter-finals: 26/27/28 January

Semi-finals: 20/21/22 April

European Shield final: 19/20 May