RUGBY:NIGEL OWENS will take charge of Leinster's Heineken Cup quarter-final against the Leicester Tigers on Saturday, April 9th at the Aviva Stadium (6.0). ERC confirmed the referees for the first play-off rounds in both the Heineken and Amlin Challenge Cups next month. There will be three Irish referees in action, Alain Rolland, Alan Lewis and George Clancy.
The Welsh official was the man in the middle the last time Leinster and Leicester met in the European Cup, the 2009 final at Murrayfield: in fact that season he refereed the Irish province in their quarter-final victory over Harlequins (the infamous “blood-gate” game) and the semi-final win over Munster at Croke Park.
It will be the fifth time he has officiated at the quarter-final stage in his 54th European match and he also presided over the 2008 final in which Munster beat Toulouse at the Millennium stadium.
His most recent involvement with an Irish side was during this season’s Six Nations when Ireland beat Scotland 21-18 at Murrayfield but the visitors fell foul of his interpretations that day, falling on the wrong side of a 12-4 penalty count.
Rolland will get the European Cup quarter-finals under way when he takes charge of the all-French clash between Perpignan and Toulon at Barcelona’s Olympic Stadium in the first game on that Saturday.
Romain Poite – presuming he has recovered from the calf injury that forced his early departure at Twickenham during England’s recent victory over Scotland – will preside over Ulster’s trip to the Mk:Stadium in Milton Keynes for their game against the Northampton Saints on Sunday, April 10th. England’s Wayne Barnes will referee the other all-French affair between Biarritz Olympique and defending champions Toulouse at Estadio Anoeta in San Sebastian later that afternoon.
Bruff’s George Clancy will travel to France to preside over the Amlin Challenge Cup quarter-final between La Rochelle and ASM Clermont Auvergne on Thursday, April 7th. Munster will have England’s Dave Pearson in charge when they travel to the Stade Municipal Amédée Domenech to face Brive on Saturday, April 9th. The previous night Alan Lewis will referee Stade Francais’ game against Montpellier at the Stade Charlety.
Munster coach Tony McGahan will announce an extended squad for Friday night’s trip to Cardiff at lunchtime today and he is expected to include Ronan O’Gara, Peter Stringer and Denis Leamy, all of whom came on during Ireland’s 24-8 victory over England last weekend.
He will also be heartened by the fact talented young fullback Felix Jones played 40 minutes of Munster A’s win over the Ulster Ravens last week while John Hayes also came through that game. Flankers Peter O’Mahoney and Niall Ronan have also recovered from injury.
McGahan may also be able to call upon a number of the Ireland team that started against England, depending on the amount of game time they have enjoyed to date this season.
Their opponents Cardiff confirmed 35-year-old flanker Martyn Williams has signed a new one-year contract. It had initially been thought the 98-times capped Wales flanker would be leaving at the end of this season. He was out of contract and, with the Blues looking to make cuts to their playing budget, the expectation was he wouldn’t be offered a new deal. However Williams admitted: “I’ve signed a year extension and I’m happy it’s all done and dusted.
“It’s where I wanted to finish off. I’m over the moon the club have come to an agreement that I will have my last season here.”
Leinster coach Joe Schmidt will announce his squad for Sunday’s game against the Dragons today. The Irish province is hoping Shane Horgan might be included following a two-month spell on the sidelines through injury.
KNOCKOUT ROUNDS MATCH OFFICIALS
REFEREES FOR HEINEKEN CUP QUARTER-FINALS.
Saturday April 9th: Perpignan v Toulon, Olympic Stadium, Barcelona (3.30, Irish time) Alain Rolland (Ireland) – FR2/Canal+ /Sky Sports/Sky Italia. Leinster v Leicester Tigers, Aviva Stadium (6pm) Nigel Owens (Wales) – Sky Sports/Canal+ Sport/Sky Italia/RTÉ (highlights)/ITV4 (highlights).
Sunday, April 10th: Northampton Saints v Ulster Rugby, stadium:mk, Milton Keynes (2pm) Romain Poite (France) – Sky Sports/Sky Italia/RTÉ (deferred coverage). Biarritz Olympique v Toulouse, Estadio Anoeta, San Sebastian (4.30, Irish time) Wayne Barnes (England) – FR2/Sky Sports/Sky Italia
Heineken Cup semi-finals (April 30th/May 1st): Leinster or Leicester Tigers v Biarritz Olympique or Toulouse; Northampton Saints or Ulster Rugby v Perpignan or Toulon.
Final: Saturday, May 21st, Millennium stadium (5pm).
REFEREES FOR AMLIN CHALLENGE CUP QUARTER-FINALS.
Thursday, April 7th: La Rochelle v ASM Clermont Auvergne, Stade Marcel Deflandre (7.45, Irish time) George Clancy (Ireland) – Eurosport/Sky Sports.
Friday, April 8th: Harlequins v London Wasps, Twickenham Stoop (7.45) Christophe Berdos (France) – Sky Sports. Stade Français Paris v Montpellier, Stade Charléty (7.45, Irish time) Alan Lewis (Ireland) – FR4/Sky Sports.
Saturday, April 9th: Brive v Munster, Stadium Municipal Amédée Domenech (1pm, Irish time) David Pearson (England) – Eurosport/Sky Sports.
Amlin Challenge Cup semi-finals (April 28th, 29th, 30th/May 1st): Stade Français Paris or Montpellier v La Rochelle or ASM Clermont Auvergne; Brive or Munster v Harlequins or London Wasps.
Amlin Challenge Cup Final: Friday, May 20th, Cardiff City stadium (7.45).
