Brace To Referee Champions Cup Round Of 16 Opener
IRFU High Performance referee Andrew Brace took charge of three matches during the Investec Champions Cup pool stages ©INPHO/Ben Brady
IRFU High Performance referee Andrew Brace will lead an all-Irish on-field team of match officials when the Investec Champions Cup’s round of 16 kicks off on Friday, April 4.
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Brace, who refereed the England-Italy Guinness Men’s Six Nations match just over a week ago, will take charge of the opening fixture between Northampton Saints and Clermont Auvergne in the last 16 of EPCR’s elite tournament.
Brace will be joined at cinch Stadium at Franklin’s Gardens by fellow IRFU High Performance referees, Eoghan Cross and Andrew Cole, who have been appointed as assistant referees for the Anglo-French tie.
As the sense of anticipation and excitement grows ahead of the 2025 Cardiff finals at the Principality Stadium, the match officials for the Investec Champions Cup and EPCR Challenge Cup rounds of 16 have been appointed by a committee chaired by EPCR’s Head of Match Officials, Tony Spreadbury.
Also involved in the Champions Cup’s first knockout phase will be IRFU High Performance referee Chris Busby and Olly Hodges, who have received assistant referee and television match official appointments, respectively, for the meeting of Toulon and Saracens on Saturday, April 5.
That same day, Leinster’s Champions Cup round of 16 showdown with Harlequins at Croke Park will be overseen by an all-French team of match officials. Pierre Brousset will have the whistle, as he did for Leinster’s first round trip to Bristol Bears.
Andrea Piardi, who last year became the first Italian to referee a Men’s Six Nations game, will be the man in the middle for Munster’s much-anticipated tussle with La Rochelle in Saturday’s early evening kick-off.
The last of the Irish provinces in Champions Cup round of 16 action will be Ulster, whose visit to top seeds Bordeaux-Bégles on Sunday, April 6 will be refereed by England’s Luke Pearce.
Meanwhile, Luc Ramos will lead an all-French team of match officials for Connacht’s Challenge Cup round of 16 duel with Cardiff Rugby at Dexcom Stadium on Saturday, April 5.
Ireland’s Mark Patton will be the television match official for the Montpellier-Gloucester encounter on the same day.
INVESTEC CHAMPIONS CUP ROUND OF 16:
Friday, April 4 –
Northampton Saints v ASM Clermont Auvergne, cinch Stadium@Franklin’s Gardens, 8pm (Premier Sports/beIN Sports/SuperSport/FloRugby)
Referee: Andrew Brace (Ireland): Asssistant Referees: Eoghan Cross, Andrew Cole (both Ireland); TMO: Marius Jonker (South Africa)
Saturday, April 5 –
RC Toulon v Saracens, Stade Félix Mayol, 1.30pm (beIN Sports/Premier Sports/SuperSport/FloRugby)
Referee: Nika Amashukeli (Georgia); Assistant Referees: Ben Whitehouse (Wales), Chris Busby (Ireland); TMO: Olly Hodges (Ireland)
LEINSTER RUGBY v Harlequins, Croke Park, 3pm (RTÉ/Premier Sports/beIN Sports/SuperSport/FloRugby)
Referee: Pierre Brousset (France); Assistant Referees: Kevin Bralley, Thomas Charabas (both France); TMO: Tual Trainini (France)
Castres Olympique v Benetton Rugby, Stade Pierre-Fabre, 4pm (beIN Sports/France TV/EPCRugby.TV /Premier Sports/SuperSport/FloRugby)
Referee: Karl Dickson (England); Assistant Referees: Hamish Smales, Jonathan Healy (both England); TMO: Dean Richards (England)
Stade Rochelais v MUNSTER RUGBY, Stade Marcel Deflandre, 6.30pm local time/5.30pm Irish time (beIN Sports/Premier Sports/SuperSport/FloRugby)
Referee: Andrea Piardi (Italy); Assistant Referees: Adam Leal (England), Filippo Russo (Italy); TMO: Matteo Liperini (Italy)
Glasgow Warriors v Leicester Tigers, Scotstoun Stadium, 8pm (Premier Sports/beIN Sports/SuperSport/FloRugby)
Referee: Craig Evans (Wales); Assistant Referees: Ben Breakspear, Gareth Newman (both Wales); TMO: Adam Jones (Wales)
Sunday, April 6 –
Union Bordeaux-Bègles v ULSTER RUGBY, Stade Chaban Delmas, 1.30pm local time/12.30pm Irish time (beIN Sports/Premier Sports/SuperSport/FloRugby)
Referee: Luke Pearce (England); Assistant Referees: Morne Ferreira (South Africa), Joe James (England); TMO: Andrew Jackson (England)
Stade Toulousain v Sale Sharks, Stadium Municipal de Toulouse, 4pm (France TV/beIN Sports/Premier Sports/SuperSport/Flo Rugby)
Referee: Sam Grove-White (Scotland); Assistant Referees: Dave Sutherland, Ruairidh Campbell (both Scotland); TMO: Mike Adamson (Scotland)
EPCR CHALLENGE CUP ROUND OF 16:
Friday, April 4 –
Edinburgh Rugby v Emirates Lions, Hive Stadium, 8pm (Premier Sports/beIN Sports/SuperSport/FloRugby)
Referee: Ludovic Cayre (France); Assistant Referees: Evan Urruzmendi, Vincent Blasco Baque (both France); TMO: Denis Grenouillet (France)
Section Paloise v Bath Rugby, Stade du Hameau, 9pm (beIN Sports/EPCRugby.TV/FloRugby)
Referee: Hollie Davidson (Scotland); Assistant Referees: Rob McDowell, Finlay Brown (both Scotland); TMO: Mike Adamson (Scotland)
Saturday, April 5 –
Aviron Bayonnais v Vodacom Bulls, Stade Jean Dauger, 1.30pm (France TV/beIN Sports/SuperSport/EPCRugby.TV/FloRugby)
Referee: Christophe Ridley (England); Assistant Referees: Sara Cox, Jack Makepeace (both England); TMO: Stuart Terheege (England)
Montpellier Hérault Rugby v Gloucester Rugby, GGL Stadium, 6.30pm (beIN Sports/EPCRugby.TV/FloRugby)
Referee: Morne Ferreira (South Africa); Assistant Referees: Griffin Colby, Christopher Allison (both South Africa); TMO: Mark Patton (Ireland)
CONNACHT RUGBY v Cardiff Rugby, Dexcom Stadium, 8pm (Premier Sports/beIN Sports/FloRugby)
Referee: Luc Ramos (France); Assistant Referees: Jeremy Rozier, Flavien Hourquet (both France); TMO: Eric Gauzins (France)
USAP v Racing 92, Stade Aimé Giral, 9pm (beIN Sports/EPCRugby.TV/FloRugby)
Referee: Gianluca Gnecchi (Italy); Assistant Referees: Franco Rosella, Lorenzo Pedezzi (both Italy); TMO: Stefano Roscini (Italy)
Sunday, April 6 –
Ospreys v Scarlets, Swansea.com Stadium, 5.30pm (S4C/beIN Sports/EPCRugby.TV/FloRugby)
Referee: Matthew Carley (England); Assistant Referees: Anthony Woodthorpe, Jamie Leahy (both England); TMO: David Rose (England)
Lyon Olympique Universitaire v Hollywoodbets Sharks, Matmut Stadium de Gerland, 6.30pm (beIN Sports/SuperSport/EPCRugby.TV/FloRugby)
Referee: Federico Vedovelli (Italy); Assistant Referees: Clara Munarini, Luca Bisetto (both Italy); TMO: Aled Griffiths (Wales)