A vastly experienced quartet of referees with a total of 269 European club rugby matches between them will be in charge of next weekend’s high-profile Heineken Cup and Amlin Challenge Cup semi-finals.
Nigel Owens of Wales has been appointed to referee the first of the Heineken Cup semi-finals between ASM Clermont Auvergne and Munster Rugby at Stade de la Mosson in Montpellier on Saturday, 27 April while the following day, Ireland’s Alain Rolland will be in the middle for the clash of Saracens and Toulon at Twickenham Stadium.
The all-French Amlin Challenge Cup semi-final between Perpignan and Stade Francais Paris at Stade Aimé Giral on Friday, 26 April will be refereed by George Clancy of Ireland with England’s Wayne Barnes in charge of the second semi-final a day later between last season’s Heineken Cup champions, Leinster Rugby, and the reigning Amlin Challenge Cup champions, Biarritz Olympique, at the RDS Arena.
The Heineken Cup and Amlin Challenge Cup match official appointments were made following a meeting of the ERC Match Officials sub-committee. The meeting reviewed match official performances across all relevant tournaments in conjunction with feedback from the referee managers in each Union and from club coaching staff.
Heineken Cup semi-finals
(Kick-offs local time)
Saturday, 27 April
ASM Clermont Auvergne v Munster Rugby, Stade de la Mosson (18.00)
Referee: Nigel Owens (Wal);
Assistant referee 1: Leighton Hodges (Wal);
Assistant referee 2: Ian Davies (Wal);
TMO: Gareth Simmonds (Wal);
Citing Commissioner: Douglas Hunter (Sco)
Sunday, 28 April
Saracens v Toulon, Twickenham Stadium (15.00)
Referee: Alain Rolland (Ire);
Assistant referee 1: Peter Fitzgibbon (Ire);
Assistant referee 2: Andrew McMenemy (Sco);
TMO: Marshall Kilgore (Ire);
Citing Commissioner: Denis Templeton (Ire)
Amlin Challenge Cup semi-finals
(Kick-offs local time)
Friday, 26 April
Perpignan v Stade Francais Paris, Stade Aimé Giral (21.00)
Referee : George Clancy (Ire) ;
Assistant referee 1 : Dudley Phillips (Ire)
Assistant referee 2 : Marius Mitrea (Ita) ;
TMO: Jim Yuille (Sco);
Citing Commissioner: Ian Goodall (Sco)
Saturday, 27 April
Leinster Rugby v Biarritz Olympique Pays Basque, RDS Arena (14.30)
Referee: Wayne Barnes (Eng);
Assistant referee 1: Greg Garner (Eng);
Assistant referee 2: Paul Dix (Eng);
TMO: Geoff Warren (Eng);
Citing Commissioner: Ray Wilton (Wal)
