An important weekend of top level rugby this weekend as in Europe, it’s quarter finals time in the European competitions, and in the South the Super Rugby season continues after last week’s announcement of it’s future structure without the Japanese Sunwolves.
The top level referees in Europe and SANZAAR will all be focussing on the matches ahead of them as they try to forget that Alain Rolland will be calling on Monday with World Cup news – good or bad! In the European Champions Cup, two certs in our view (Owens and Poite) will take charge, and two who will be less confident – Gauzere and Pearce have a chance to prove the decision makers right or wrong!
A little further afield, as Ben Crouse departs the US after his four week stay, Wales’ Elgan Williams is heading the other way, as he starts his exchange with Major League Rugby by refereeing the Seattle Seawolves v San Diego Legion
Good luck to everyone out and about this weekend.
Heineken Champions Cup – Quarterfinals
Edinburgh v Munster
Referee: Pascal Gaüzère (France)
ARs: Ludovic Cayre (France) & Jonathan Dufort (France)
TMO: Eric Gauzins (France)
Citing commissioner: Paul Hull (England)
Saracens Glasgow Warriors
Referee: Nigel Owens (Wales)
ARs: Ben Whitehouse (Wales) & Ian Davies (Wales)
TMO: Olly Hodges (Ireland)
Citing commissioner: Eugene Ryan (Ireland)
Leinster v Ulster
Referee: Romain Poite (France)
ARs: Pierre Brousset (France) & Vincent Blasco Baqué (France)
TMO: Denis Grenouillet (France)
Citing commissioner: Shaun Gallagher (England)
Racing v Toulouse
Referee: Luke Pearce (England)
ARs: Matthew Carley (England) & Tom Foley (England)
TMO: Rowan Kitt (England)
Citing commissioner: Tim Lowry (Ireland)
European Challenge Cup – Quarterfinals
Sale Sharks v Connacht
Referee: Mathieu Raynal (France)
ARs: Thomas Charabas (France) & Laurent Cardona (France)
TMO: Éric Briquet-Campin (France)
Citing commissioner: Paul Thomas (Wales)
Worcester Warriors v Harlequins
Referee: Alexandre Ruiz (France)
ARs: Maxime Chalon (France) & Cédric Marchat (France)
TMO: Philippe Bonhoure (France)
Citing commissioner: John Montgomery (Scotland)
La Rochelle v Bristol Bears
Referee: John Lacey (Ireland)
ARs: Frank Murphy (Ireland) & Sean Gallagher (Ireland)
TMO: Simon McDowell (Ireland)
Citing commissioner: Stefano Marrama (Italy)
Clermont Auvergne v Northampton Saints
Referee: George Clancy (Ireland)
ARs: Andrew Brace (Ireland) & Joy Neville (Ireland)
TMO: Brian MacNeice (Ireland)
Citing commissioner: Peter Ferguson (Ireland)
Super Rugby – Round 7
NSW Waratahs v Sunwolves
Referee: Paul Williams (New Zealand)
ARs: Jaco Peyper (South Africa) & Egon Seconds (South Africa)
TMO: George Ayoub (Australia)
Hurricanes v Crusaders
Referee: Ben O’Keeffe (New Zealand)
ARs: Damon Murphy & Nick Hogan (New Zealand)
TMO: Aaron Paterson (New Zealand)
Blues v Stormers
Referee: Nick Briant (New Zealand)
ARs: Glen Jackson (New Zealand) & Federico Anselmi (Argentina)
TMO: Ben Skeen (New Zealand)
Jaguares v Chiefs
Referee: Angus Gardner (Australia)
ARs: Pablo Deluca (Argentina) & Damian Schneider (Argentina)
TMO: Santiago Borsani (Argentina)
Sharks v Bulls
Referee: Rasta Rasivhenge (South Africa)
ARs: Mike Fraser (New Zealand) & Brendon Pickerill (New Zealand)
TMO: Christie du Preez (South Africa)
Queensland Reds v Melbourne Rebels
Referee: AJ Jacobs (South Africa)
ARs: Nicholas Berry (Australia) & Marius van der Westhuizen (South Africa)
TMO: James Leckie (Australia)
Greene King RFU Championship
Hartpury College v Bedford Blues
Referee: Adam Leal
ARs: Jamie Leahy & Simon Park
Ealing Trailfinders v Nottingham
Referee: Fergus Kirby
ARs: Dean Richards & Lionel Spooner
Richmond v Jersey Reds
Referee: Hamish Smales
ARs: Jonathan Healy & Gareth Holsgrove
Doncaster Knights v London Scottish
Referee: John Meredith
ARs: Matt Turvey & Peter Allan
Cornish Pirates v London Irish
Referee: JP Doyle
ARs: Sara Cox & Clare Daniels
Yorkshire Carnegie v Coventry
Referee: Simon Harding
ARs: Gregory Garner & Ian Bibey
Major League Rugby – Round 10
Austin Elite v Rugby United New York
Referee: Luke Rogan
ARs: Mike O’Brien & Kat Roche
Glendale Raptors v New Orleans Gold
Referee: Paul-Henri Courbier
ARs: Moe Chaudhry & Cam Petitt
Utah Warriors v Toronto Arrows
Referee: Derek Summers
ARs: Lex Weiner & Kage Green
Seattle Seawolves v San Diego Legion
Referee: Elgan Williams (Wales)
ARs: Robin Kaluzniak & Lee Bryant
