Leinster v Bulls: Italian referee gets third straight URC Final appointment
Andrea Piardi will officiate the United Rugby Championship Grand Final.
Italian official Andrea Piardi will officiate the United Rugby Championship (URC) Grand Final between Leinster and the Bulls at Croke Park in Dublin.
It’s the third year in a row that Piardi has been appointed as the man in the middle for the showpiece event.
Andrea Piardi gets third URC Final
The 32-year-old takes on the appointment this weekend, just a month before he makes history as the first Italian to referee a British & Irish Lions game when he holds the whistle for their second Test versus Australia.
Piardi has made nine appearances in the league this season, bringing his total to 54, and while he may celebrate his third selection for a decider, he is still some way short of the record held by Nigel Owens of Wales, who took charge of six league finals during his illustrious career.
Piardi will be assisted by Mike Adamson (SRU) and Sam Grove-White (SRU), with Matteo Liperini (FIR) serving as the Television Match Official – the team will have the combined experience of 198 league games.
The URC also confirmed that due to a policy of neutrality for match official appointments for the Grand Final, no Irish or South African referees could be considered.
The Italian has been in the spotlight this season in the URC with Bulls boss Jake White suggesting that he favours the away teams, highlighting a match back in 2022.
Piardi also notably made an error during the clash between Munster and the Bulls too when he reduced Munster down to 14 men in the contest after replacement front-rower Stephen Archer was replaced in the second-half, with Alex Kendellen later brought back onto the pitch after missing 13 minutes on the sidelines.
Jake White’s bizarre claim about URC final referee that dates back to 2022
Over 30,000 tickets have already been sold for the fixture with pricing starting at €20.
Tickets selling fast – 30,000 fans are already locked in for Croke Park 🙌
Grab your tickets from €20 to witness history 🤩
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— BKT United Rugby Championship (URC) (@URCOfficial) June 10, 2025
Leinster v Bulls
Date: Saturday, June 14
Venue: Croke Park, Dublin
Kick-off: 17:00 UK / 18:00 SAST
Referee: Andrea Piardi (FIR, 55th league game)
Assistants: Mike Adamson (SRU) and Sam Grove-White (SRU)
TMO: Matteo Liperini (FIR)
Live on: TG4, SuperSport, Premier Sports, Flo Rugby & URC.tv
