Leicester Tigers were yesterday offered a route into the knock-out stages of the Heineken Cup after being handed the friendliest of draws for next season.

The two-time champions avoided some of Europe's giants and were pitched against Perpignan, Scarlets and Treviso in Pool Five when the draw was made in Cardiff.

Even Tigers rugby director Peter Wheeler admitted Leicester would be disappointed if they did not qualify for the quarter-finals.

He said: "Without being euphoric about it, that is a good group. It's better than a couple of the others, which look really dangerous.

"You would be disappointed if we did not qualify. The make-up of the group gives you an opportunity to qualify. Even though the groups are seeded these days you can get a tough group, as we did last season."

While pools two and three will probably vie for the annual 'pool of death' epithet, Tigers' pool contains four teams who failed to make it out of the group stage last season.

Tigers and Perpignan are, without doubt, the best teams in it and they will probably end up fighting it out for first place in a pool where the top two should qualify due to the presence of Italian side Treviso.

Tigers retained their Guinness Premiership title last season and Perpignan have finished top of the French Top 14 for the last two seasons, winning the title in 2009 by beating Clermont in the final, but losing in a repeat last season.

Perpignan's European form, however, did not reach the same heights last season and they finished third in their pool, even losing 9-8 to Treviso, who were bottom.

Scarlets have fallen away since the halcyon days of head coach Gareth Jenkins. They pushed Tigers all the way before losing a semi-final 13-12 in Nottingham in 2002 but last season finished second-from-bottom of the Magners League.

Treviso are joining the Magners League next season and are expected to have a budget close to £7million, but Tigers beat them 60-16 and 52-0 two years ago and will be fancied to win both ties.

Injuries before the home draw with Ospreys probably cost Tigers a quarter-final spot last season but Wheeler thinks they can still conquer Europe despite the handicap of the salary cap.

He said: "It's extremely difficult because it's not a level playing field, but we go into it believing we can win. There's no club in Europe we don't believe we can't beat at home."

Tigers lock Geoff Parling made his debut for England in yesterday's 28-28 draw against the Australian Barbarians. Anthony Allen is in the Saxons line-up for today's Churchill Cup opener against Russia.