The referee appointments for the Heineken Champions Cup and Challenge Cup quarter-final matches have been announced following a selection committee meeting chaired by EPCR’s Head of Match Officials, Joel Jutge.
France’s Pascal Gauzère will be in charge when the Heineken Champions Cup resumes with the heavyweight clash of No 1-ranked, Leinster Rugby, and holders, Saracens, on Saturday, 19 September at the Aviva Stadium.
Later the same day, Romain Poite, also of France, will be in the middle for the showdown at Stade Marcel-Michelin between ASM Clermont Auvergne and Racing 92.
The following day, England’s Wayne Barnes will take charge of the head-to-head between four-time champions, Toulouse, and Ulster Rugby at Le Stadium, followed at Sandy Park by the meeting of in-form Exeter Chiefs and Northampton Saints which will be refereed by Matthew Carley of England.
Challenge Cup
The Challenge Cup last-eight matches get underway on Friday, 18 September with the clash of Bristol Bears and the Dragons at Ashton Gate where France’s Mathieu Raynal will be on the whistle, and on the following day, Ireland’s Frank Murphy will be in the middle for the Stade Chaban-Delmas meeting of Bordeaux-Bègles and Edinburgh Rugby, while his compatriot, Andrew Brace, has been appointed for the RC Toulon-Scarlets tie at Stade Félix Mayol.
The concluding Challenge Cup quarter-final on Sunday, 20 September which pits Leicester Tigers against Castres Olympique at Welford Road will be refereed by Mike Adamson of Scotland.
Due to covid considerations, all Assistant Referees and TMOs for the eight quarter-finals are from the host country union of the matches concerned.
Champions Cup Quarter Finals
Leinster Rugby v Saracens
Referee: Pascal Gauzère (Fra)
ARs: George Clancy (Ire) & Joy Neville (Ire)
TMO: Olly Hodges (Ire)
ASM Clermont Auvergne v Racing 92
Referee: Romain Poite (Fra)
ARs: Pierre Brousset (Fra) & Ludovic Cayre (Fra)
TMO: Denis Grenouillet (Fra)
Toulouse v Ulster Rugby
Referee: Wayne Barnes (Eng)
ARs; Alexandre Ruiz (Fra) & Thomas Charabas (Fra)
TMO: Eric Gauzins (Fra)
Exeter Chiefs v Northampton Saints
Referee: Matthew Carley (Eng)
ARs: Luke Pearce (Eng) & Tom Foley (Eng)
TMO: Stuart Terheege (Eng)
Challenge Cup Quarter Finals
Bristol Bears v Dragons
Referee: Mathieu Raynal (Fra)
ARs: Karl Dickson (Eng) & Ian Tempest (Eng)
TMO: Rowan Kitt (Eng)
Bordeaux-Begles v Edinburgh Rugby
Referee: Frank Murphy (Ire)
ARs: Tual Trainini (Fra) & Cedric Marchat (Fra)
TMO: Eric Briquet-Campin (Fra)
RC Toulon v Scarlets
Referee: Andrew Brace (Ire)
ARs: Maxime Chalon (Fra) & Vincent Blasco Baqué (Fra)
TMO: Philippe Bonhoure (Fra)
Leicester Tigers v Castres Olympique
Referee: Mike Adamson (Sco)
ARs: Craig Maxwell-Keys (Eng) & Adam Leal (Eng)
TMO: Graham Hughes (Eng)
