It’s semi final day in the main leagues across the UK, and play off games as well for next season’s Champions Cup qualification. Interestingly, RFU Premiership officials have been parachuted in to look after the Munster v Ospreys match, presumably to maintain neutrality with the only non-Welsh or Irish PRO12 official – Marius Mitrea of Italy – taking the other Leinster v Scarlets match.
In the southern hemisphere (and Japan), SuperRugby enters round 13 with one match standing out; not because of the officials, but in that it is being played, for the second time, in Fiji who host the Chiefs and Crusaders fixture. Mike Brown oversees the match.
The final round of the World 7s mens series is at Twickenham this weekend, with the pressure now off the South Africans who wrapped up series title in Paris last weekend.
PRO 12 Semifinals
Leinster v Scarlets
Referee: Marius Mitrea (Italy)
ARs: Mike Adamson (Scotland), Simone Boaretto (Italy)
TMO: Alan Falzone (Italy)
Munster v Ospreys
Referee: Luke Pearce (England)
ARs: Matthew O’Grady & Wayne Falla
TMO: Graham Hughes (all England)
Premiership Semifinals
Exeter Chiefs v Saracens
Referee: Wayne Barnes
ARs: Craig Maxwell-Keys & Ross Campbell
TMO: Stuart Terheege
Wasps v Leicester Tigers
Referee: Matthew Carley
ARs: Thomas Foley & Paul Dix
TMO: David Grashoff
Super Rugby, Round 13
Chiefs v Crusaders (played at ANZ Stadium, Suva, Fiji)
Referee: Mike Fraser (NZ)
ARs: Brendon Pickerill (NZ) & Paul Williams (NZ)
TMO: Shane McDermott (NZ)
Stormers v Blues
Referee: Jaco van Heerden (SA)
ARs: Marius van der Westhuizen (SA) & Cwengile Jadezweni (SA)
TMO: Shaun Veldsman (SA)
Hurricanes v Cheetahs
Referee: Nic Berry (Australia)
ARs: Will Houston (Australia), Ben O’Keeffe (New Zealand)
TMO: Ben Skeen (New Zealand)
Force v Highlanders
Referee: Shuhei Kubo (Japan)
ARs: Ed Martin (Aus) & Damon Murphy (Aus)
TMO: Ian Smith (Aus)
Sunwolves v Sharks
Referee: Rohan Hoffmann (Aus)
ARs: Aki Aso (Jpn) & Tasuku Kawahara (Jpn)
TMO: Minoru Fuji (Jpn)
Lions v Bulls
Referee: Quinton Immelman (SA)
ARs: AJ Jacobs (SA) & Lesego Legoete (SA)
TMO: Marius Jonker (SA)
Kings v Brumbies
Referee: Jaco Peyper (SA)
ARs: Egon Seconds (SA) & Rodney Boneparte (SA)
TMO: Christie du Preez (SA)
Waratahs v Rebels
Referee: Angus Gardner (Aus)
ARs: Graham Cooper (Aus) & Amy Perrett (Aus)
TMO: George Ayoub (Aus)
Champions Cup Playoff Semifinals
Stade Français v Cardiff Blues
Referee: Greg Garner (Eng)
ARs: Jack Makepeace (Eng) & Paul Burton (Eng)
TMO: David Rose (Eng)
Northampton Saints v Connacht
Referee: Mathieu Raynal (Fra)
ARs: Pascal Gauzère (Fra) & Ludovic Cayre (Fra)
TMO: Eric Gauzins (France)
World Rugby Sevens
Referees: Pierre Brousset (Fra), Ben Crouse (SA), James Doleman (NZ), Craig Evans (Wal), Sam Grove-White (Sco), Richard Haughton (Eng), Jaco Kotze (SA), Rasta Rasivhenge (SA), Damián Schneider (Arg)
