The Cornish Pirates will face some long away trips against unfamiliar opponents when they get under way in their British & Irish Cup qualifying group in October.
The 2010 winners of the competition have been drawn alongside Jersey, Ayr and Ulster with only the group winner certain of progressing to the quarter-finals in the new year.
With exact fixture days and kick-off times still to be confirmed the action is due to start on the weekend of October 11-13 when the Pirates will entertain Ulster, who disappointed in last years competition, at the Mennaye Field.
Seven days later, the Pirates face a long trip to the west of Scotland where they will meet reigning Scottish Premiership champions Ayr for the first time at their formidable Millbrae ground.
The tournament then resumes in December with the Pirates having back to back games against Championship opponents Jersey with the first match at home.
Qualifying concludes on January 10-12 when Ayr travel to Cornwall, before the Pirates then face a potential qualifying decider as they travel to Northern Ireland on the following weekend to face Ulster, possibly in Belfast.
The points and bonus points system remains the same as in Championship rugby for this year's British & Irish Cup and alongside each of the group winners the two best runner-up will then make up the quarter final draw.
Current cup holders Leinster have been drawn in Pool One alongside Moseley, Ealing Trailfinders and a yet to be confirmed Welsh Premiership opponent.
British & Irish Cup draw:
Round 1 – October 11/12/13 Pool 1: Leinster A V Ealing Trailfinders, Wales 3 V Moseley
Pool 2: London Welsh V London Scottish, Edinburgh Academicals V Wales 2
Pool 3: Rotherham V Bedford, Wales 4 V Connacht
Pool 4: Plymouth v Nottingham, Munster A V Stirling County
Pool 5: Bristol Rugby v Leeds Carnegie, Gala v Wales 1
Pool 6: Cornish Pirates V Ulster Ravens, Jersey v Ayr
Round 2 – October 18/19/20 Pool 1: Ealing v Wales 3, Moseley v Leinster A
Pool 2: London Scottish v Edinburgh Academicals, Wales 2 v London Welsh
Pool 3: Bedford Blues v Wales 4, Connacht v Rotherham
Pool 4: Nottingham Rugby v Munster A, Stirling County v Plymouth Albion
Pool 5: Leeds Carnegie v Gala, Wales 1 v Bristol Rugby
Pool 6: Ulster Ravens v Jersey RFC, Ayr v Cornish Pirates
Round 3 – December 6/7/8 Pool 1: Moseley v Ealing Trailfinders, Leinster A v Wales 3
Pool 2: Wales 2 v London Scottish, London Welsh v Edinburgh Academicals
Pool 3: Connacht v Bedford Blues, Rotherham v Wales 4
Pool 4: Stirling County v Nottingham Rugby, Plymouth Albion v Munster A
Pool 5: Wales 1 v Leeds Carnegie, Bristol Rugby v Gala
Pool 6: Ayr v Ulster Ravens, Cornish Pirates v Jersey RFC
Round 4 – December 13/14/15 Pool 1: Ealing Trailfinders v Moseley, Wales 3 v Leinster A
Pool 2: London Scottish v Wales 2, Edinburgh Academicals v London Welsh
Pool 3: Bedford Blues v Connacht, Wales 4 v Rotherham Titans
Pool 4: Nottingham Rugby v Stirling County, Munster A v Plymouth Albion
Pool 5: Leeds Carnegie v Wales 1, Gala v Bristol Rugby
Pool 6: Ulster Ravens v Ayr, Jersey RFC v Cornish Pirates
Pool 5 – January 10/11/12 Pool 1: Leinster A v Moseley, Wales 3 v Ealing Trailfinders
Pool 2: London Welsh v Wales 2, Edinburgh Academicals v London Scottish
Pool 3: Rotherham Titans v Connacht, Wales 4 v Bedford Blues
Pool 4: Plymouth Albion v Stirling County, Munster A v Nottingham Rugby
Pool 5: Bristol Rugby v Wales 1, Gala v Leeds Carnegie
Pool 6: Cornish Pirates v Ayr, Jersey RFC v Ulster Ravens
Round 6 – January 17/18/19 Pool 1: Ealing Trailfinders v Leinster A, Moseley v Wales 3
Pool 2: London Scottish v London Welsh, Wales 2 v Edinburgh Academicals
Pool 3: Bedford Blues v Rotherham Titans, Connacht v Wales 4
Pool 4: Nottingham Rugby v Plymouth, Stirling County v Munster A
Pool 5: Leeds Carnegie v Bristol Rugby, Wales 1 v Gala
Pool 6: Ulster Ravens v Cornish Pirates, Ayr v Jersey RFC
