Referees for EPRC Roundes 3 & 4
They are the matches in Rounds 3 & 4 of the Champions Cup and the Challenge Cup. The clubs are from England, Scotland, Ireland, Wales, France, Italy and Russia, the referees from England, Scotland, Ireland, Wales, France, Italy and Romania.
The referees are appointed by a selection committee chaired by former Test referee Donal Courtney of Ireland.
Of the referees appointed, JP Doyle and Wayne Barnes of England, John Lacey and George Clancy of Ireland, Nigel Owens and Leighton Hodges of Wales, Jérôme Garcès, Romain Poite, Pascal Gauzère and Mathieu Raynal of France and Marius Mitrea were in action at the 2015 Rugby World Cup.
These could be difficult matches as Round 5 has the same teams matched, just at different venues. If there are bad feelings after Round 3, the danger is that they could carry over into Round 4.
The referees are all from Europe but there are more and more players from outside of Europe and there will be added interest in the European debut of Dan Carter, whom many regard as the best flyhalf ever.
Champions Cup Referees, Round 3
Pool 1
Ulster vs Toulouse
Referee: Wayne Barnes (England)
Oyonnax vs Saracens
Referee: Marius Mitrea (Italy)
Pool 2
Exeter Chiefs vs Clermont
Referee: John Lacey (Ireland)
Ospreys vs Bordeaux-Bègles
Referee: JP Doyle (England)
Pool 3
Glasgow Warriors vs Scarlets
Referee: Mathieu Raynal (France)
Racing-Métro vs Northampton Saints
Referee: George Clancy (Ireland)
Pool 4
Benetton Treviso vs Stade Français Paris
Referee: Matthew Carley (England)
Munster vs Leicester Tigers
Referee: Romain Poite (France)
Pool 5
Toulon vs Leinster
Referee: Nigel Owens (Wales)
Wasps vs Bath
Referee: Jérôme Garcès (France)
Champions Cup Round 4
Pool 1
Saracens vs Oyonnax
Referee: George Clancy (Ireland)
Toulouse vs Ulster
Referee: JP Doyle (England)
Pool 2
Bordeaux-Bègles vs Ospreys
Referee: Luke Pearce (England)
Clermont vs Exeter Chiefs
Referee: Marius Mitrea (Italy)
Pool 3
Northampton Saints vs Racing-Métro
Referee: Nigel Owens (Wales)
Scarlets vs Glasgow Warriors
Referee: Pascal Gauzère (France)
Pool 4
Stade Français vs Benetton Treviso
Referee: Greg Garner (England)
Leicester Tigers vs Munster
Referee: Jérôme Garcès (France)
Pool 5
Bath vs Wasps
Referee: Romain Poite (France)
Leinster vs Toulon
Referee: Wayne Barnes (England)
Challenge Cup, Round 3
Pool 1
Connacht vs Newcastle Falcons
Referee: Thomas Charabas (France)
Enisei-STM vs Brive
Referee: Vlad Iordachescu (Romania)
Pool 2
Newport Gwent Dragons vs Pau
Referee: Craig Maxwell-Keys (England)
Castres vs Sale Sharks
Referee: David Wilkinson (Ireland)
Pool 3
Cardiff Blues vs Montpellier
Referee: Peter Fitzgibbon (Ireland)
Calvisano vs Harlequins
Referee: Ben Whitehouse (Wales)
Pool 4
Worcester Warriors vs Gloucester
Referee: Alexandre Ruiz (France)
La Rochelle vs Zebre
Referee: Tom Foley (England)
Pool 5
Agen vs Grenoble
Referee: Ian Davies (Wales)
London Irish vs Edinburgh
Referee: Leighton Hodges (Wales)
Challenge Cup, Round 4
Pool 1
Brive vs Enisei-STM
Referee: Gary Conway (Ireland)
Newcastle Falcons vs Connacht
Referee: Ben Whitehouse (Wales)
Pool 2
Sale Sharks vs Castres
Referee: Dudley Phillips (Ireland)
Pau vs Newport Gwent Dragons
Referee: Andrew Brace (Ireland)
Pool 3
Montpellier vs Cardiff Blues
Referee: Ian Tempest (England)
Harlequins vs Calvisano
Referee: Tual Trainini (France)
Pool 4
Gloucester vs Worcester Warriors
Referee: Ian Davies (Wales)
Zebre vs La Rochelle
Referee: Lloyd Linton (Scotland)
Pool 5
Edinburgh vs London Irish
Referee: David Wilkinson (Ireland)
Grenoble vs Agen
Referee: Tom Foley (England)
