Referees for Euro quarterfinals confirmed
NEWS: Following a high-powered start to the knockout stages of the tournaments, EPCR announced the referees for the quarterfinals of the Champions Cup and EPCR Challenge Cup who have been appointed by a committee chaired by the organiser’s Head of Match Officials, Tony Spreadbury.
The Champions Cup last-eight matches kick-off at Lansdowne Road on Friday with the clash of former winners, Leinster and Leicester Tigers, which will be refereed by Nika Amashukeli of Georgia.
England’s Karl Dickson will be in charge when Stade Toulousain take on the Sharks at Stade Ernest Wallon on Saturday and Mathieu Raynal of France has been appointed for the meeting of the Exeter Chiefs and the Stormers at Sandy Park later the same day.
Ireland’s Andrew Brace will be in the middle for the last, and certainly not least, of the four heavyweight contests ont Sunday which pits holders, Stade Rochelais, against three-time winners, Saracens, at Stade Marcel Deflandre.
The EPCR Challenge Cup quarterfinals also get under way on Friday when Wayne Barnes of England takes charge of what promises to be a fiercely-competitive head-to-head between the Scarlets and ASM Clermont Auvergne at Parc y Scarlets.
Scotland’s Mike Adamson has been appointed for Saturday’s all-French clash between RC Toulon and holders, Lyon, at Stade Félix Mayol, and later the same day, the Benetton v Cardiff and Glasgow Warriors v Lions last-eight ties will be refereed by the English pair of Luke Pearce and Matthew Carley respectively.
Champions Cup quarterfinals:
Friday, April 7:
Leinster v Leicester
(Lansdowne Road, Dublin - Kick-off: 20.00; 19.00 GMT)
Referee: Nika Amashukeli (Georgia)
Assistant Referees: Pierre Brousset (France), Tual Trainini (France)
TMO: Eric Gauzins (France)
Saturday, April 8:
Toulouse v Sharks
(Stade Ernest Wallon, Toulouse - Kick-off: 16.00; 16.00 SA time; 14.00 GMT)
Referee: Karl Dickson (England)
Assistant Referees: Christophe Ridley (England), Jonathan Healy (England)
TMO: Tom Foley (England)
Exeter Chiefs v Stormers
(Sandy Park, Exeter - Kick-off: 17.30; 16.30 GMT; 18.30 SA time)
Referee: Mathieu Raynal (France)
Assistanr Referees: Ludovic Cayre (France), Jonathan Gasnier (France)
TMO: Thomas Charabas (France)
Sunday, April 9:
Stade Rochelais v Saracens
(Stade Marcel Deflandre, La Rocehlle - Kick-off: 16.00; 15.00 UK & Ireland time; 14.00 GMT)
Referee: Andrew Brace (Ireland)
Assistant Referees: Frank Murphy (Ireland), Chris Busby (Ireland)
TMO: Joy Neville (Ireland)
Challenge Cup quarterfinals:
Friday, April 7:
Scarlets v Clermont
(Parc y Scarlets, Llanelli - Kick-off: 20.00; 19.00 GMT; 21.00 France time)
Referee: Wayne Barnes (England)
Assistant Referees: Adam Leal (England), Sara Cox (England)
TMO: Andrew Jackson (England)
Saturday, April 8:
RC Toulon v Lyon
(Stade Félix Mayol, Toulon - Kick-off: 13.30; 11.30 GMT)
Referee: Mike Adamson (Scotland)
Assistant Referees: Sam Grove-White (Scotland), Ian Kenny (Scotland)
TMO: Ben Blain (Scotland)
Benetton v Cardiff
(Stadio Comunale di Monigo, Treviso - Kick-off: 16.00; 15.00 UK & Ireland time; 14.00 GMT)
Referee: Luke Pearce (England)
Assistant Referees: Anthony Woodthorpe (England), Jack Makepeace (England)
TMO: Stuart Terheege (England)
Glasgow Warriors v Lions
(Scotstoun Stadium, Glasgow - Kick-off: 20.00; 19.00 GMT; 21.00 SA time)
Referee: Matthew Carley (England)
Assistant Referees: Hamish Smales (England), Dan Jones (England)
TMO: Ian Tempest (England)