EPCR round of 16 referee appointments

With the knockout stages of European club rugby set to further intensify this weekend, EPCR can announce the referee appointments for the Heineken Champions Cup Round of 16 2nd leg fixtures as well as for the EPCR Challenge Cup Round of 16 matches following a selection meeting chaired by the tournament organiser’s Head of Match Officials, Tony Spreadbury.

England’s Luke Pearce will be in charge when Leinster Rugby and Connacht Rugby renew their Heineken Champions Cup rivalry at the Aviva Stadium on Friday, and Frank Murphy of Ireland will be in the middle for the 2nd leg of the contest between Bristol Bears and Sale Sharks at Ashton Gate on the same evening.

On Saturday, the return clash of Harlequins and Montpellier Hérault Rugby at the Twickenham Stoop, again live on BT Sport with additional free-to-air coverage on Channel 4 and Virgin Media in the UK and Ireland, will be refereed by Scotland’s Mike Adamson, while on the same day, Mathieu Raynal of France and England’s Wayne Barnes have been appointed for the Munster Rugby v Exeter Chiefs contest at Thomond Park and the 2nd leg meeting of Stade Rochelais and Union Bordeaux-Bègles at Stade Marcel Deflandre respectively.

Also on Saturday, Ireland’s Andrew Brace will be in charge at Mattioli Woods Welford Road when Leicester Tigers and ASM Clermont Auvergne go head-to-head again, and Matthew Carley of England will referee the 2nd leg confrontation between Ulster Rugby and Stade Toulousain at the Kingspan Stadium.

The Heineken Champions Cup Round of 16 will conclude on Sunday when Georgia’s Nika Amashukeli takes charge of the return meeting of Racing 92 and Stade Francais Paris at Paris La Défense Arena.

The EPCR Challenge Cup Round of 16 gets underway on Friday evening with four winner-takes-all matches. Andrea Piardi of Italy has been appointed for the meeting of London Irish and Castres Olympique at Brentford Community Stadium, while Biarritz Olympique v Wasps at Parc des Sports Aguiléra will be refereed by Ireland’s Chris Busby.

Tual Trainini of France will be in the middle when Newcastle Falcons and Glasgow Warriors clash at Kingston Park, and Italy’s Gianluca Gnecchi will be in charge when No 1-ranked Lyon go up against Worcester Warriors at the Matmut Stadium de Gerland.

Saturday’s meeting of Edinburgh Rugby and Bath Rugby at the DAM Health Stadium will be refereed by Ludovic Cayre of France, England’s Karl Dickson has been appointed for RC Toulon v Benetton Rugby at Stade Félix Mayol, and Sam Grove-White of Scotland will take charge of the all-Gallagher Premiership contest between Gloucester Rugby and Northampton Saints at Kingsholm.

Sunday’s Saracens v Cardiff Rugby clash at the StoneX Stadium, live on BT Sport and S4C, will be refereed by France’s Pierre Brousset.