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Referees for opening Euro matches confirmed

By @rugby365com
Thursday 30 Nov 2023

NEWS: Italy’s Andrea Piardi will referee the Pool One meeting between the Bulls and reigning Premiership champions Saracens at Loftus Versfeld following the announcement of the referees for Rounds One and Two of the 2023/24 Champions Cup and EPCR Challenge Cup

Piardi was in charge of last season's United Rugby Championship (URC) Final between the Stormers and Munster.

He will be assisted by Benoit Rousselet (France) and Filippo Russo (Italy), while the TMO is Eric Gauzins (France).

Tual Trainini (France) will be the man with the whistle of the Stormers' Round One match against Leicester Tigers in England on Sunday, December 10.

Also on Sunday, England’s Matthew Carley will be in charge when Stade Rochelais and Leinster match as they renew their supercharged rivalry.

Andrew Brace of Ireland has been appointed for the Pool 3 confrontation between Toulon – 2023 EPCR Challenge Cup winners – and the Exeter Chiefs at Stade Félix Mayol on Saturday.

Saturday will also see, Luke Pearce of England in the middle when last season’s URC winners, Munster, kick off their Pool Three campaign against tournament debutants, Aviron Bayonnais.

England’s Anthony Woodthorpe will be making his Champions Cup debut as a referee when he takes charge of the Round One clash in Pool Two between the 2023 TOP 14 winners, Stade Toulousain, and Cardiff at Stade Ernest-Wallon, and similarly, Sam Grove-White of Scotland has earned a first Champions Cup appointment as a referee for the Round Two meeting of Cardiff and Bath at Arms Park.

The tournament gets underway on Friday, December 8 when Glasgow Warriors take on Northampton Saints at Scotstoun Stadium in Pool Three and Connacht Rugby host Union Bordeaux-Bègles in Pool One at The Sportsground with Mathieu Raynal of France and England’s Karl Dickson respectively in charge.

The EPCR Challenge Cup also kicks off on Friday, December 8 and Chris Busby of Ireland has been appointed to referee the Pool Three meeting of three-time winners, ASM Clermont Auvergne, and Edinburgh at Stade Marcel-Michelin while in Round Two, Scotland’s Hollie Davidson will be in the middle when Gloucester host Clermont at Kingsholm.

*Click HERE for the match official appointments for Rounds One and Two of the Champions Cup and EPCR Challenge Cup

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