It’s Easter weekend but the rugby bandwagon continues. In Europe, the domestic top tiers rest as it’s Quarter Finals of the European Champions Cup and the Challenge Cup. There’s the final of the Anglo-Welsh Cup which was postponed due to snow a few weeks ago. Wales’ Craig Evans will referee the match in Gloucester, as Bath take on the Exeter Chiefs.
In Europe, England’s Luke Pearce (pictured), fresh off the back of hearing he will referee New Zealand v France in the summer – his first Tier 1 v Tier 1 international – will oversee the Champions Cup’ Scarlets v La Rochelle tie up. Owens, Barnes and Garces take the other three matches. In the Challenge Cup, Romain Poite will referee Connacht v Gloucester with Doyle, Raynal and Lacey on the other three.
Super Rugby enters round seven with New Zealand’s Paul Williams will be in Canberra as the Brumbies host the NSW Waratahs. He too has secured a summer appointment, again in Australia when they play Ireland.
Champions Cup Quarterfinals
Scarlets v La Rochelle
Referee: Luke Pearce (Eng)
ARs: Matthew Carley (Eng) & Craig Maxwell-Keys (Eng)
TMO: David Grashoff (Eng)
Munster v Toulon
Referee: Nigel Owens (Wal)
ARs: Ben Whitehouse (Wal) & Ian Davies (Wal)
TMO: Jon Mason (Wal)
Clermont Auvergne v Racing 92
Referee: Wayne Barnes (Eng)
ARs: Tom Foley (Eng) & Paul Dix (Eng)
TMO: Rowan Kitt (Eng)
Leinster v Saracens
Referee: Jérôme Garcès (Fra)
ARs: Pascal Gaüzère (Fra) & Ludovic Cayre (Fra)
TMO: Philippe Bonhoure (Fra)
Challenge Cup Quarterfinals
Newcastle Falcons v Brive
Referee: John Lacey (Ire)
ARs: Andrew Brace (Ire) & Frank Murphy (Ire)
TMO: Simon McDowell (Ire)
Pau v Stade Français
Referee: JP Doyle (Eng)
ARs: Marius Mitrea (Italy) & Ian Tempest (Eng)
TMO: Graham Hughes (Eng)
Connacht v Gloucester
Referee: Romain Poite (Fra)
ARs: Pierre Brousset (Fra) & Vincent Blasco Baque (Fra)
TMO: Neil Hennessy (Wal)
Edinburgh v Cardiff Blues
Referee: Mathieu Raynal (Fra)
ARs: Alexandre Ruiz (Fra) & Thomas Charabas (Fra)
TMO: Eric Briquet-Campin (Fra)
Super Rugby, Round 7
Melbourne Rebels v Hurricanes
Referee: Angus Gardner (Aus)
ARs: William Houston (Aus) & Jordan Way (Aus)
TMO: George Ayoub (Aus)
Chiefs v Highlanders
Referee: Glen Jackson (NZ)
ARs: Ben O’Keeffe (NZ) & Brendon Pickerill (NZ)
TMO: Glenn Newman (NZ)
Blues v Sharks
Referee: Nick Briant (NZ)
ARs: Ben O’Keeffe (NZ) & Angus Mabey (NZ)
TMO: Ben Skeen (NZ)
Brumbies v NSW Waratahs
Referee: Paul Williams (NZ)
ARs: Nic Berry (Aus) & James Leckie (Aus)
TMO: Damien Mitchelmore (Aus)
Bulls v Stormers
Referee: Marius van der Westhuizen (SA)
ARs: AJ Jacobs (SA) & Cwengile Jadezweni (SA)
TMO: Marius Jonker (SA)
Lions v Crusaders
Referee: Jaco Peyper (SA)
ARs: Rasta Rasivhenge (SA) & Egon Seconds (SA)
TMO: Willie Vos (SA)
Anglo-Welsh Cup Final
Bath v Exeter Chiefs
Referee: Craig Evans (Wal)
ARs: Simon Rees (Wal) & Gareth Newman (Wal)
TMO: Sean Brickell (Wal)
British & Irish Cup
Jersey Reds v Doncaster Knights
Referee: Joy Neville (Ire)
ARs: Anthony Woodthorpe (Eng) & Gregory Garner (Eng)
Leinster A v Munster A
Referee: Karl Dickson (Eng)
ARs: Stuart Gaffikin (Ire) & Jonathan Peak (Ire)
Bedford Blues v Ulster Ravens
Referee: Mike English (Wal)
ARs: Jack Makepeace (Eng) & Jonathan Healy (Eng)
Ealing Trailfinders v Cornish Pirates
Referee: Christophe Ridley (Eng)
ARs: Sara Cox (Eng) & Phil Watters (Eng)
