Rugby:The referees for the Heineken Cup and Amlin Challenge Cup quarter-finals were confirmed by the ERC today.
Nigel Owens (Wales) will referee the clash of former champions when Leinster and Leicester Tigers meet at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday, April 9th (kick-off 6pm). Owens controlled the 2008 and 2009 finals and will take charge of his fifth quarter-final and 54th Heineken Cup match overall.
Alain Rolland (Ireland) will take charge of the opening quarter-final of the weekend when the all-French contest between Perpignan and Toulon at Barcelona’s Olympic Stadium in Saturday’s earlier game (kick-off 3.30pm Irish time).
Romain Poite (France) will referee his first Heineken Cup knockout match when Ulster travel to stadium:mk in Milton Keynes to take on Northampton in the first of the Sunday contests (2pm).
Wayne Barnes (England) will referee the other all-French affair between Biarritz and defending champions Toulouse at Estadio Anoeta in San Sebastian which will bring the curtain down on the quarter-finals (4.30pm Irish time).
In the Amlin Challenge Cup last eight, Ireland’s George Clancy will get the knockout stages underway when he referees the game between La Rochelle and ASM Clermont Auvergne on Thursday, April 7th.
Dave Pearson (England) will take charge for Munster’s away game to Brive on the Saturday. The all-English tie between Harlequins and London Wasps on Friday, April 8th will be controlled by Christophe Berdos (France), while Alan Lewis (Ireland) will be in charge of the second all-French tie between Stade Français and Montpellier.
Heineken Cup Details
Quarter-finals
(All times Irish)
Saturday, April 9th
3.30pm: Perpignan v Toulon (Olympic Stadium, Barcelona)
Referee: Alain Rolland (Ire)
TV: FR2 / Canal+ / Sky Sports / Sky Italia
6pm: Leinster v Leicester (Aviva Stadium, Dublin)
Referee: Nigel Owens (Wal)
TV: Sky Sports / Canal+ Sport / Sky Italia / RTE* / ITV4*
Sunday, April 10th
2pm: Northampton v Ulster (stadium:mk, Milton Keynes)
Referee: Romain Poite (Fra)
TV: Sky Sports / Sky Italia / RTE*
4.30pm: Biarritz v Toulouse (Estadio Anoeta, San Sebastian)
Referee: Wayne Barnes (Eng)
TV: FR2 / Sky Sports / Sky Italia
(* Highlights)
Semi-Finals
(To be played April 30th / May 1st)
Winner of the first named quarter-final in each pairing will have home country advantage:
Leinster/Leicester v Biarritz /Toulouse
Northampton/Ulster v Perpignan/Toulon
Final
(Saturday, May 21st)
Millennium Stadium, Cardiff (5pm)
Amlin Challenge Cup Details
Quarter-finals
(All times Irish)
Thursday, April 7th
7.45pm: La Rochelle v ASM Clermont Auvergne (Stade Marcel Deflandre)
Referee: George Clancy (Ire)
TV: Eurosport / Sky Sports
Friday, April 8th
7.45pm: Harlequins v London Wasps (Twickenham Stoop)
Referee: Christophe Berdos (Fra)
TV: Sky Sports
7.45pm: Stade Français v Montpellier (Stade Charléty)
Referee: Alan Lewis (Ire)
TV: FR4 / Sky Sports
Saturday, April 9th
1pm: Brive v Munster (Stadium Municipal Amédée Domenech)
Referee: David Pearson (Eng)
TV: Eurosport / Sky Sports
Semi-finals
(To be played April 28th-30th/ May 1st)
The winner of the first named quarter-final in each pairing will have home venue advantage:
Stade Français/Montpellier v La Rochelle/ASM Clermont Auvergne
Brive/Munster v Harlequins/London Wasps
Final
(Friday, May 20th)
Cardiff City Stadium (7.45pm)
