Refs for Heineken quarters

The European Rugby Cup, which organises the Heineken Cup and the Amlin Challenge Cup has announced the match officials for the quarterfinals of the Heineken Cup over the weekend of 6-7 April 2013.

For the first quarterfinal Montpellier climb up to Montferrand to play Clermont Auvergne at the Stade Marcel Michelin which is sold out for the occasion. It is the first time that Montpellier have been in the last eight and the first time Clermont will be hosting a quarterfinal at home.

There is another first in the other Saturday quarterfinal - the first time a Heineken quarter has been played at Twickenham when Saracens play Ulster. The next day there will be another at Twickenham, this time at The Stoop when Harlequins are at home to Munster.

In the other Sunday match, Toulon will be at home when they play Leicester Tigers.

The Heineken Cup referee and assistant referee appointments were announced today (Tuesday, 19 March) following a meeting of the ERC Match Officials sub-committee. The meeting reviewed match official performances across all relevant tournaments in conjunction with feedback from the referee managers in each Union and from club coaching staff.

Donal Courtney, the ERC's match officials performance manager said: “We will be asking the match officials to continue to focus on key areas of the game in order to allow a contest for the ball by both teams and to give the ball-carrying team the space to play within the laws.

“The officials will be reminded to effectively manage all aspects of the scrum, as well as tackle and ruck situations, in particular where players wilfully go off their feet to prevent a fair contest for the ball. They will also be asked to be strict on issues of foul play, especially dangerous tackles, and to be vigilant for line-out maul obstruction and for players going offside from kicks."

As the tournament intensifies for the knockout stage, the assistant referees for the four quarter-finals have been appointed on the basis of their experience, whereas for the pool stage, assistant referees were nominated by the Unions of the match referees.

Heineken Cup Quarterfinal Appointments

Saturday, 6 April 2013

Clermont Auvergne v Montpellier at Stade Marcel Michelin

Referee: Wayne Barnes (England)

Assistant referees: JP Doyle (England), Stuart Terheege (England)

Saracens v Ulster at Twickenham

Referee: Romain Poite (France)

Assistant referees: Leighton Hodges (Wales), Cédric Marchat (France)

Sunday, 7 April 2013

Harlequins v Munster at Twickenham Stoop

Referee: Jérôme Garces (France)

Assistant referees: Neil Paterson (Scotland), Laurent Cardona (France)

Toulon v Leicester Tigers at Stade Félix Mayol

Referee : George Clancy (Ireland)

Assistant referees: Peter Fitzgibbon (Ireland), Leo Colgan (Ireland)