The top two from each group progress to the semi-finals.
In the other half of the draw France will play Greece, the Czech Republic and Belgium, with the top two from each group progressing to the semi-finals.
The first round of matches will be played on Thursday, September 17, with the top two teams from each group progressing to the last 32, where they will be joined by the eight third-placed teams from the Champions League group phase.
The last three champions of the competition, Spain, Germany and Holland, join Russia in Group B. The top two teams from each group progress to the semi-finals where they will bid to reach the final at the Teddy Stadium on June 18.
At the end of the pool play, only the top two teams from each group progress to the knockout stages, which means one of rugby's traditionally top nations will not make it through to the quarterfinals.
Top two players in each group progress to the quarter-finals.
After the round-robin matches, the top two in each group progress to the last sixteen.
Teams play each other once, with the top four from each group progressing to the quarter-finals.
An expanded format sees the two top teams from each group progress into the 24-nation finals.
