The referee appointments for the vital back-to-back fixtures in Rounds 3 and 4 of the Heineken Champions Cup and Challenge Cup have been made by a selection committee chaired by Joel Jutge, EPCR’s Head of Match Officials.
With everything still to play for on the road to next May’s finals at St James’ Park in Newcastle, the Round 3 clash of Bath Rugby and holders, Leinster Rugby, at the Recreation Ground will be refereed by Mathieu Raynal of France, while his compatriot, Pascal Gauzère, has been appointed for the return match in Pool 1 at Dublin’s Aviva Stadium.
Click HERE for the referee appointments for Rounds 3 and 4 of the 2018/19 Heineken Champions Cup and Challenge Cup.
Ireland’s Andrew Brace will take charge of the meeting between Pool 4 leaders, Racing 92, and Leicester Tigers at Paris La Défense Arena with George Clancy, also of Ireland, in the middle for the Round 4 confrontation at Welford Road.
The back-to-back fixtures in Pool 1 between Wasps and unbeaten Toulouse at the Ricoh Arena and Stade Ernest Wallon will be handled by John Lacey of Ireland and Wales’ Nigel Owens respectively.
Italy’s Marius Mitrea for Round 3 and Alexandre Ruiz of France in Round 4 have been appointed for the much-anticipated matches between Edinburgh Rugby and the high-flying Newcastle Falcons who sit on top of Pool 5 with two wins.
The Anglo-Welsh Pool 3 games between Saracens and the Cardiff Blues will be refereed by France’s Romain Poite (Round 3) and Jérome Garcès (Round 4), while JP Doyle and Wayne Barnes of the RFU will be in the middle on 9 December at Thomond Park and 15 December at Stade Pierre Fabre respectively when Munster Rugby and Castres Olympique clash in Pool 2.
In the Challenge Cup, Ben Whitehouse of Wales will be in charge for the Round 3 meeting of Bristol Bears and Pool 4 leaders, La Rochelle, at Ashton Gate, and Ireland’s Frank Murphy will referee the Pool 2 match between Pau and the in-form Worcester Warriors at Stade du Hameau when the tournament resumes on Friday, 7 December.