Exclusive: Ugo Monye's Champions Cup preview: 'Defining year' ahead for Leinster after final heartbreak

Ugo Monye believes the winner of the Champions Cup will emerge from this season's 'Pool of Death'.

Twenty-four of the best club sides on the planet will go head-to-head across four pools of six, with the action getting underway on Friday, December 8.

Pool 4 is packed with pedigree with a combined nine European Cups between the six teams involved.

Along with last season's finalists La Rochelle and Leinster, three-time winners Leicester Tigers, Sale Sharks, Stade Francais and South African giants the Stormers will all do battle with a place in the knockout stage at stake.

"It’s going to be another compelling season of European rugby and all eyes will be on the pool of death," said Monye in an exclusive conversation with TNT Sports.

"Sale Sharks have got to go away to Stade Francais, play La Rochelle and Leinster, before going to South Africa to take on the Stormers… each one of those teams have the ability to win the Champions Cup.

"You’ve got La Rochelle, the reigning champions. Leinster have won it five times. Stade Francais have a proud history in the competition and the Stormers will be there or thereabouts. There’s always a group of death but this one feels horrible. Horrible.

"To get out of that pool will be an achievement in itself. You’ll be well-hardened, well-travelled, if you can survive that you can see the winner of the competition coming out of that group."

Four-time winners Leinster have suffered final heartbreak at the hands of La Rochelle in the previous two seasons.

The Irish giants face a period of transition with Johnny Sexton retiring and head coach Stuart Lancaster heading to France to take charge of Racing 92.

Monye is fascinated to see how the province put last season's disappointment behind them with a battle to escape from such a formidable group.

"It will be interesting to see how Leinster approach it," said Monye. "Do they use last season as motivation, or do they draw a line under it and not let history weigh heavy on you?

"They’ve lost the last two finals to the same team with an aggregate points difference of two.

"I was pitchside right next to the Leinster bench, they were going wild at 17-0 up and they’ll be wondering how they let it slip. They will have done plenty of soul-searching.

"The scenes after the game, with Josh van der Flier in tears, that would’ve hurt a lot but they get another chance to put it right this year."

Leinster begin life without long-serving captain Sexton as the fly-half hangs up his boots at the end of the World Cup.

The 38-year-old is calling time on an illustrious career for Leinster spanning 15 years across two separate spells that yielded four European Cups.

"Whatever Leinster do they will have to do it without the most successful player Ireland have ever produced in Johnny Sexton," said Monye.

"They’ve lost Stuart Lancaster but they’ve brought in Jacques Nienabar the South African head coach who will be joining them after the World Cup.

"I think that is such an excellent bit of recruitment. I’ve got to know Jacques over the last six months or so, what a brilliant bloke and an impressive operator.

"He will add a significant amount of rugby intellect to the project.

"They have a conveyor belt of talent and they’ve always been able to regenerate and rejuvenate but this year feels like a defining year for Leinster."

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