SALE Sharks have been handed one of the toughest possible Heineken Cup draws.

Tuesday's draw in Paris saw the Edgeley Park club paired alongside French giants Toulouse, along with Magners League powerhouses Cardiff Blues and fellow Guinness Premiership outfit Harlequins in Pool Five.

Toulouse boast a formidable Heineken Cup pedigree having won the tournament twice before whilst Cardiff were unlucky to go out of this season’s competition at the semi-final stage after a heartbreaking penalty shoot-out defeat to Leicester.

And Kingsley Jones’ men know all about the Welshmen having met them in last season’s EDF Energy Cup competition.

Harlequins, meanwhile, will need no introduction, and they too enjoyed a fine Heineken Cup tournament last season before losing out to eventual winners Leinster at the quarter-final stage.

The group matches will get underway in October though dates and fixtures will now be the subject of negotiation between the clubs and TV broadcasters.

Heineken Cup draw for the 2009/2010 competition:

Pool One:

Munster
Perpignan
Northampton
Treviso

Pool Two:

Biarritz
Gloucester
Newport Gwent Dragons
Glasgow

Pool Three:

Leicester
Ospreys
Clermont Auvergne
Viadana

Pool Four:

Bath
Stade Francais
Ulster
Edinburgh

Pool Five:

Toulouse
Cardiff Blues
Sale
Harlequins

Pool Six:

Leinster
London Irish
Scarlets
Brive

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