Semi-final referees

Tournament organisers ERC today (Thursday, 16 April) confirmed the match officials for the 2008/09 Heineken Cup and European Challenge Cup semi-finals with the schedule seeing Owens referee the first Heineken Cup match played at the 82,500 Dublin stadium.

Alain Rolland (Ireland) will referee the clash of Cardiff Blues and Leicester Tigers at the Millennium Stadium. It will be his fourth tournament semi-final in charge, matching the record of former Scottish referee and current ERC Board member Jim Fleming.

French referee Romain Poite will get the big European weekend underway when he referees the match between Northampton Saints and Saracens at Franklin's Gardens on Friday, 1 May with Peter Fitzgibbon (Ireland) in charge at Stade Pierre Rajon for Bourgoin's match against Worcester Warriors.

For the Heineken Cup and European Challenge Cup knock-out games, should the match referee withdraw during the game due to injury he will be replaced by the 4th official.

HEINEKEN CUP 2009 SEMI-FINALS
(Kick-offs LOCAL times)

SATURDAY 2 MAY
17.30 - Munster v Leinster - Croke Park - Nigel Owens (Wales)
4th Official - Wayne Barnes (England)

SUNDAY 3 MAY
15.00 - Cardiff Blues v Leicester Tigers - Millennium Stadium - Alain Rolland (Ireland)
4th Official - Alan Lewis (Ireland)

EUROPEAN CHALLENGE CUP SEMI-FINALS 2008/09
(Kick-offs LOCAL times)

FRIDAY 1 MAY
19.45 - Northampton Saints v Saracens - Franklin's Gardens - Romain Poite (France)
4th Official - Christophe Berdos (France)

SATURDAY 2 MAY
13.30 - Bourgoin v Worcester Warriors - Stade Pierre Rajon - Peter Fitzgibbon (Ireland)
4th Official - Carlo Damasco (Italy)


a) The nominated referees are drawn from the European 2008/09 referees' panel.
b) The nominations are considered by the ERC Match Officials Sub Committee made up of Referee Managers from the six Unions of the participating teams, who review and confirm the final appointments.
c) The performance of match officials are reviewed by Performance Reviewers (PR) at ERC games.
d) Head Coaches / Directors of Rugby are invited to submit their comments and feedback to the ERC Match Officials Sub Committee on the performances of Match Officials in their games.