NEWPORT Gwent Dragons could be set for some mouth-watering cup ties against James Hook’s Perpignan, Sergio Parisse’s Stade Français or Jonny Wilkinson’s Toulon in next season’s Amlin Challenge Cup.

The Dragons have been placed in the second tier out of four seeded groups for Wednesday’s draw which sees 20 teams competing for European glory. Tier 1 includes French aristocrats Stade Français, the formidable Perpignan, Côte d’Azur glamour club Toulon, two-time Heineken Cup winners London Wasps and Andy Powell’s Sale Sharks. Bu t due to the spread of countries in the groups the Dragons will definitely get one of the Tier 1 French giants.

Being in Tier 2 means the Dragons will avoid drawing Brive, Bayonne, Newcastle Warriors and Worcester Warriors in the group stages but are set to face Exeter Chiefs from Tier 3, again due to the spread.

Tier 4’s possible opponents are Spain’s Club Rugby La Vila Comunidad Valencia, Romania’s Bucharest Wolves, Italy’s I Cavalieri Prato or French sides Lyon and Bordeaux-Bègles.

It is a competition the Dragons could well excel in and they have a good track record after a great cup run in 2007 which saw them reach the semi-finals before losing 46-29 to eventual winners Clermont Auvergne.

The teams and tiers for the draw, which takes place at the European Club Rugby offices in Dublin, are:

Tier 1: Stade Français Paris, Perpignan, London Wasps, Toulon, Sale Sharks.

Tier 2: NEWPORT GWENT Dragons, Brive, Newcastle Falcons, Worcester Warriors, Bayonne.

Tier 3: Petrarca Padova, Crociati Parma, Rugby Rovigo, Agen, Exeter Chiefs.

Tier 4: I Cavalieri Prato, Lyon, Bordeaux-Bègles, Bucharest Wolves, Club Rugby La Vila Comunidad Valencia.

Fixtures schedule:

Round 1 – November 10/11/12/13, 2011; Round 2 – November 17/18/19/20, 2011; Round 3 – December 8/9/10/11, 2011; Round 4 – December 15/16/17/18, 2011; Round 5 – January 12/13/ 14/15, 2012; Round 6 – January 19/20/21/22, 2012;

Quarter-finals – April 5/6/7/8, 2012;

Semi-finals – April 26/27/28/29 , 2012;

Final – May 18/19/20, 2012.