EPCR announce knockout referees

Editor

The referee appointments for the Champions Cup and Challenge Cup quarter-final showdowns were announced following a selection meeting.

The Champions Cup knockout stage will get underway at Dublin's Aviva Stadium on Saturday, 1 April with the clash of previous tournament winners, Leinster and Wasps, which will be refereed by Nigel Owens of Wales.

Later the same day, England's JP Doyle will take charge of another showdown between former champions when Munster go head-to-head with Toulouse at Thomond Park.

On Sunday, 2 April, Jerome Garces of France will be in the middle for the meeting of holders, Saracens, and knockout stage first-timers, Glasgow Warriors, while England's Wayne Barnes has been appointed for the all-Top 14 confrontation between number one seeds, Clermont, and Toulon at Stade Marcel-Michelin.

The quarter-finals weekend kicks off on Friday, 31 March with the first of the Challenge Cup ties between Edinburgh and La Rochelle at Murrayfield where England's Luke Pearce will be in charge.

The following day's games between Bath and Brive, and Gloucester and Cardiff Blues, will be refereed by Italy's Marius Mitrea and France's Pascal Gauzere respectively.

Matthew Carley of England has been appointed for the last tie of the weekend on Sunday, 2 April between Challenge Cup number one seeds, Ospreys, and Stade Francais Paris at the Principality Stadium.