The Irish province will face Castres Olympique and Wasps in Pool B, the latter of whom they were pitted against in their triumphant 2007/08 European Cup campaign.

Munster were narrowly beaten at the Ricoh Arena in the opening round that season but overcame the English side in the reverse fixture before going on to be crowned European champions for the second time.

Former Ireland hooker Flannery insists that Munster have the quality to overcome Wasps once again in the pool stage this season and go on to secure a third European title, given some of the performances they produced last year.

“I think Munster, off the back of how they went domestically in the PRO14, they were very dominant all the way until they met Leinster [Rugby],” Flannery recalled.

“Obviously in Europe - it was probably a strange one with COVID – they showed a real, typical Munster performance in that [ASM] Clermont [Auvergne] away game.”

Munster were defeated by Leinster in the PRO14 final last season and exited the Heineken Champions Cup at the Round of 16 stage after being defeated by eventual winners Stade Toulousain.

But Flannery has backed them to “go under the radar” in the Heineken Champions Cup this season and challenge for the trophy.

“I think they can be a real challenge [to play against this season], because not a lot of people are speaking about them off the back of how they went against Leinster,” he explained.

“I think they had a fairly competitive performance against Toulouse, but I think if they can get RG Snyman back, they have some fantastic young players coming through, they can be a real challenge.

“Getting Joey Carbery back on the field as well as is going to be key for them, I was really happy to see him get back on and play for Ireland during the June internationals.

“He’s absolute quality and he’s had a horrendous time with injuries. But he’s another guy in that Marcus Smith category, in that if Munster can get him on the field with the young players coming through, they could be potentially – under the radar – be one of the teams to go on and win it.”

Harlequins lineout coach Flannery was full of praise for his club’s fly-half Smith, who will no doubt play a key role the side’s Heineken Champions Cup campaign and add to his tally of 124 points in 20 European appearances.

“He’s one of the best players in the world and he’s only getting started really,” Flannery said. “Marcus coming back [from British and Irish Lions duty], I’d imagine this has whetted his appetite for more big-time rugby.

“And he’s obviously going to be more of a marked man next season as well, so he’s got to work on adding other parts to his game.

“He can be a world class player and we want to get him on the field. On the other side of that, we know that things can’t just be built around Marcus.

“Tommy Allen coming in is going to play an important part as well, so like I said it’s got to be a squad effort.

“When it comes to the big matches, Marcus has been one of the reasons why we have been successful this year.”

Jerry Flannery believes that his former club Munster Rugby have the potential to be the ‘dark horses’ of this season’s Heineken Champions Cup.