Ahead of the much-anticipated semi-finals of the Investec Champions Cup and EPCR Challenge Cup, EPCR can announce the officials who have been appointed for the matches by a committee chaired by the tournament organiser’s Head of Match Officials, Tony Spreadbury.
France’s Mathieu Raynal will be in charge for the first of the Investec Champions Cup semi-finals when Leinster Rugby and Northampton Saints go head-to-head at a sold-out Croke Park in Dublin on Saturday 4 May. Raynal’s assistants will be his countrymen Pierre Brousset and Luc Ramos, with Thomas Charabas as TMO.
The meeting of five-time winners, Stade Toulousain and first-time semi-finalists, Harlequins at Le Stadium in Toulouse the following day will be refereed Andrew Brace of Ireland with Chris Busby and Eoghan Cross running the line. The TMO for this match, which is another sell-out, will be Olly Hodges, also of Ireland.
An all-English team of officials will manage the first of the EPCR Challenge Cup semi-finals on Saturday 4 May which sees the Hollywoodbets Sharks taking on ASM Clermont Auvergne at the Twickenham Stoop with Luke Pearce as referee, assisted by Karl Dickson and Matthew Carley, with Tom Foley as TMO.
Later the same day, Georgia’s Nika Amashukeli will be in the middle when Gloucester Rugby and Benetton Rugby meet at Kingsholm and he will have Mike Adamson and Sam Grove-White of Scotland as his assistants, with Ben Whitehouse of Wales appointed as TMO.
Investec Champions Cup semi-finals
(Kick-offs local time)
Leinster Rugby v Northampton Saints
Saturday 4 May – Croke Park, Dublin (5.30pm)
Referee: Mathieu Raynal (Fra); Assistant referees: Pierre Brousset (Fra), Luc Ramos (Fra); TMO: Thomas Charabas (Fra)
Stade Toulousain v Harlequins
Sunday 5 May – Le Stadium, Toulouse (4pm)
Referee: Andrew Brace (Ire); Assistant referees: Chris Busby (Ire), Eoghan Cross (Ire); TMO: Olly Hodges (Ire)
EPCR Challenge Cup semi-finals
(Kick-offs local time)
Hollywoodbets Sharks v ASM Clermont Auvergne
Saturday 4 May – Twickenham Stoop (12.30pm)
Referee: Luke Pearce (Eng); Assistant referees: Karl Dickson (Eng), Matthew Carley (Eng); TMO: Tom Foley (Eng)
Gloucester Rugby v Benetton Rugby
Saturday 4 May – Kingsholm (3pm)
Referee: Nika Amashukeli (Geo); Assistant referees: Mike Adamson (Sco); Sam Grove-White (Sco); TMO: Ben Whitehouse (Wal)
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