Heineken Cup – Rolland To Ref The Final.

Alain Rolland – who made five Heineken Cup appearances as a player for Leinster in the 1996/1997 tournament – has been appointed to referee the Heineken Cup final between London Wasps and Toulouse at Twickenham on Sunday, 23rd May (15.00).

The 38-year-old former Irish international scrum half achieves the remarkable double in what will be only his 12th Heineken Cup match.

And he will be no stranger to many of the Wasps and Toulouse players – his 11th and most recent international was the RBS Six Nations Championship match between France and England at Stade de France in March.

Rolland, a fluent French speaker, first took charge of a Heineken Cup match when he controlled Saracens’ 32-22 victory in Toulouse 2000 / 2001 but this will be his first knock-out stage match.

Welshman Nigel Whitehouse, who has refereed seven major internationals, including Italy’s 20-14 victory over Scotland in Rome in March, will be in charge of the Parker Pen Challenge Cup final when Montferrand clash with NEC Harlequins at the Madejski Stadium on Saturday, 22nd May (12.00 noon).

This will be referee Whitehouse’s second final. He was in the middle in 2001 – at the same venue – when NEC Harlequins won an epic final against Narbonne 42-33 in extra time.

Dave Pearson (England) has been appointed to referee the Parker Pen Shield final between Montpellier and Viadana at Stadio Lanfranchi, Parma, on Friday, 21 May (21.00).